Priyanka Gandhi Questions Use of Force on Students During Exam Scam Protests, Demands Accountability

New Delhi, July 2026 : Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre during the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, questioning the government’s handling of student protests over examination irregularities and demanding accountability for the alleged use of force against demonstrators.

Participating in the debate, Priyanka Gandhi said students across the country had lost faith in the examination system and were demanding only fairness, transparency and accountability. She alleged that instead of addressing their concerns, the government resorted to force.

“The students are disillusioned. Money is overshadowing merit. They want the system that is endangering their future to be improved,” she told the House, adding that the future of millions of young aspirants was being jeopardised by repeated examination irregularities.

Referring to the controversy surrounding the alleged NEET paper leak and subsequent protests, the Congress leader questioned the reported use of pellet guns and AK-47 rifles against agitating students. She asked who had authorised such action and called on the government to answer the concerns of parents and the nation.

“Are students terrorists? What was the need to use pellet guns and AK-47s against them? The Congress and the entire nation want to know who gave the order to use these weapons against students,” she said.

Priyanka Gandhi argued that the students were merely demanding accountability and the removal of those responsible for examination irregularities. Instead of listening to them, she alleged, the authorities responded with excessive force.

Highlighting the scale of the problem, she claimed that more than 152 paper leak incidents over the past decade had affected crores of students, yet no major examination mafia had been brought to justice. She also accused the government of weakening sectors capable of generating employment, thereby increasing frustration among the youth.

The Congress MP maintained that restoring confidence in the country’s examination system would require structural reforms rather than public relations exercises. She also expressed surprise over the warm reception accorded to former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Parliament soon after his resignation, saying it sent the wrong message to students demanding accountability.

Earlier in her speech, Priyanka Gandhi recounted her interaction with the mother of a student injured during the protests, saying the woman remained determined to continue her fight for justice despite refusing outside assistance.

Earlier in the debate, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the student movement against examination irregularities had demonstrated the power of young people to force the government to respond to public demands, adding that the protests had compelled the Centre to accept several of their concerns.