New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday took several digs at Rahul Gandhi during his reply to the debate on the anti-paper leak bill in Lok Sabha and asked if the Congress leader “is even aware of basic parliamentary norms” and alleged that he had used unparliamentary language.
The Lok Sabha passed the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 by voice vote after the minister’s reply.
Jitendra Singh used the word earlier used by Rahul Gandhi, over which there was prolonged furore in the Lok Sabha, and asked if he had used the expression for the youth of the country.
“When such an important bill is being discussed, instead of offering suggestions, politics is being played over it. The unparliamentary language used by the Leader of the Opposition is shocking; it makes me wonder if he is even aware of basic parliamentary norms… What could be more unfortunate than calling the youth of this country–who are its future–“idiots”? he said.
BJP members had earlier sought an apology from Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, over his remarks against Home Minister Amit Shah.
Jitendra Singh said there was no firing on protestors in Delhi and any such orders are given by the Magistrate not by any minister.
“It was repeatedly clarified that no shots were fired; tear gas was used. Since no shots were fired, the question of issuing an order does not arise. The authority to issue such an order rests with the magistrate, not the minister,” he said.
Jitendra Singh also took digs at Rahul Gandhi over Congress protest outside the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He alleged that Rahul Gandhi was “disappointed and frustrated” at not becoming Prime Minister and went and sat at the gates of 7 Lok Kalyan Marg.
“On July 21, the Leader of the Opposition–perhaps driven by some specific thought–went and sat outside 7 LKM, the Prime Minister’s residence. It seemed likely that he had a deep desire for the nation to elect him and make him sit at 7 LKM. When that aspiration remained unfulfilled, he was disappointed and frustrated, and went and sat at the gates of 7 LKM. When an attempt was made to explain to him–with great courtesy–that such behavior did not befit his stature, he responded by saying that he should simply be removed,” the Minister said.
The Bill proposes to enhance the punishment for persons resorting to unfair means by increasing the term of imprisonment to not less than five years, extendable up to ten years, as against the existing provision of imprisonment for a term of not less than three years, extendable up to five years.
The maximum fine is also proposed to be enhanced from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.
For service providers found involved in offences, the Bill proposes to increase the maximum fine to Rs 5 crore and extend the period of debarment from conducting any public examination from four years to eight years.
For organised examination-related crimes, the Amendment Bill proposes to increase the minimum term of imprisonment from five years to seven years, extendable up to ten years, while enhancing the maximum fine from Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 crore.
The Bill also empowers the Centre to constitute a Special Task Force for probing the paper leak and examination-related offences and also proposes a new Section 12A providing for completion of investigation within two months, designation of Courts of Session as Special Fast Track Courts for day-to-day trial of offences under the Act, completion of trial within three months from the date of filing of the charge sheet, and appointment of Special Public Prosecutors for every Special Fast Track Court. (ANI)
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