New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Union home minister Amit Shah, questioning his silence over the police crackdown on a protest by the Cockroach Janta Party and the minister’s absence from Parliament.
Speaking during the debate on the anti-paper leak bill, the Congress leader also pressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah to account for their response to the July 20 ‘Chalo Sansad’ march.
“You are the home minister. This was happening in Delhi. And yet despite all this happening, you did not open your mouth. Has someone stitched your mouth shut?” Kharge said in the Upper House, drawing strong objections from BJP leaders, including JP Nadda, who termed the remarks “unparliamentary.”
Kharge’s comments came amid a continuing Congress offensive over Shah’s silence on what it described as a heavy-handed police action against protesting students at Jantar Mantar. He accused the government of looking away while security forces used force against demonstrators.
“They are firing pellet guns at children who have come from villages and from other states. One has lost an eye, another has lost an ear, someone else has lost a hand. Who is responsible for that? The Home Minister is responsible. You (Shah) may be listening to me from behind closed doors, but you cannot remain hidden in a closed room forever. One day, we will drag you out,” Kharge said, adding that his remarks were not unparliamentary.
“I did not use any unparliamentary language. By ‘us’, I meant ‘janshakti’ (power of people) — people, students, women. I did not say I will drag home minister, I meant that ‘janshakti’ will drag him out. Listen to me and reply,” the Congress MP rebuked.
Rahul Backs Attack On Shah
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi amplified the party’s attack on social media platform X, alleging that Shah’s silence and absence from the House “reeks of guilt.” Several other Congress MPs also demanded that the home minister answer questions over the alleged “firing order” issued to security personnel on July 20.
Kharge Calls Bill Cosmetic
Meanwhile, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was tabled in the Rajya Sabha after being passed by the Lok Sabha. The legislation was introduced amid a broader political row over paper leaks and exam irregularities.
Kharge used the debate to dismiss the bill as cosmetic, arguing that it did little beyond toughening punishment. He said the government had failed to address the root causes of leakage and repeated the Congress’s demand for systemic reform in the conduct of examinations.
Kharge said the bill would not bring meaningful change, arguing that it merely repackaged the old law with tougher penalties. He said the government had not addressed the real cause of paper leaks and insisted that lasting reform would depend on changing the way examinations are conducted, adding that Congress had sought a strict law in 2024 but its demand was turned down.
