NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha witnessed ruckus on Tuesday after Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made remarks about newly appointed Education Minister Pralhad Joshi during a discussion on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. The remarks were later expunged from the House records, prompting protests from the Treasury benches and demands that she apologise.
Vadra made the remarks while participating in the discussion on the bill. Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Kiren Rijiju accused her of resorting to personal attacks and “character assassination”.
Objecting to the remarks, Joshi said, “Priyanka should have authenticated her statements. Action should be taken regarding the misinformation being spread. Can one simply say anything and get away with it?... I refute these allegations. She should be expelled and must apologise.”
Vadra said she was authenticating her remarks with a newspaper article. She later said her party also had a video of Joshi. Speaker Om Birla directed both sides to maintain calm. Joshi later met the Speaker and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi defended Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s choice of education minister.
“The Education Minister of India - who after all these young people were protesting about the education system and so many young girls were protesting and were beaten and thrashed, the BJP puts a man who is a defender of rapists. That is the most filthy type of man. There can be no filthier man than somebody who says that rapists need protection,” he said.
“It is strange. It’s a strange reaction from the prime minister. There are so many people in his Cabinet; he could have chosen any one of them. But he chooses a person who protects rapists. It’s quite amazing,” he added.
During her speech, Priyanka Gandhi also criticised BJP MPs for welcoming former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in the Parliament complex after his resignation as if a “superstar” had arrived.
“While all this was happening, a family in Maharashtra was mourning the suicide of their daughter, a victim of a paper leak. What exactly is the government so proud of? At a time when they are talking about women’s rights, women’s reservation, and they are putting women at the forefront... you know what women have to face and deal with within society in general, their security and everything... this sends a very wrong message,” she said.
Attacking the government over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple, Vadra claimed that “the greatest theft of all occurred when the dreams of the nation’s youth were stolen”.
“If the country’s youth become despondent and their hopes are shattered, it will mean a defeat for India. We in the Congress are prepared to lay down our lives, but we will not allow India to face defeat,” she asserted.