New Delhi: A massive political row erupted in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday after Congress Member of Parliament Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a fierce attack on the newly appointed Union Education Minister, Pralhad Joshi. Speaking during a crucial debate on the Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026, the Congress leader questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to hand over the education portfolio to Joshi, sparking a massive uproar from the Treasury benches.
The controversy stems from Joshi’s earlier statements regarding the premature release of eleven convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case. Priyanka Gandhi alleged that the government had appointed an Education Minister who had previously expressed consent and happiness over the release of individuals convicted of gangraping a pregnant woman. She argued that elevating such a leader sends a deeply flawed message to women across the country, especially at a time when young female students were facing police brutality during the ongoing NEET protests.
Her statements immediately triggered a massive backlash from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly objected to the remarks, branding them as an attempt at character assassination within the Parliament. Rijiju demanded that the unverified statements be expunged from the official records and insisted on an unconditional apology from the Congress leader.
Pralhad Joshi also retaliated sharply, accusing the Wayanad MP of spreading blatant misinformation and demanding that she authenticate her claims on the floor of the House. Amid the growing chaos, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi briefly stepped out and returned to the chamber with a document, which Priyanka Gandhi claimed would authenticate her statements.
Taking note of the massive disruption, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla intervened, asking parliamentarians to strictly verify their claims before making them. Following parliamentary procedures, the controversial remarks were subsequently expunged from the House records.
The political slugfest quickly spilled out of the Parliament. Speaking to reporters outside the House, Rahul Gandhi intensified the attack, labelling the new Education Minister as a defender of rapists and questioning the Prime Minister’s judgment. In response, BJP chief national spokesperson Anil Baluni condemned the statements from the Gandhi siblings as misleading and unacceptable, clarifying that Joshi had only commented on the legal process of the convicts’ release and never on the merits of the case.
The fierce face off over the Education Minister’s appointment has further fueled the ongoing political tension, overshadowing the critical debate on the anti paper leak legislation.