Parliament Monsoon Session resumes today: Rahul writes to Shah, Oppn to raise NEET protest crackdown - what to expect?

Opposition parties are set to press for an urgent discussion in Parliament on the alleged use of excessive force against students protesting over the NEET paper leak as Monsoon Session of Parliament resumes today, 27 July, after a week of ruckus in both the houses.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi has written to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking accountability and TMC's Sagarika Ghose has moved a notice for the suspension of the day's business in Rajya Sabha to take up the issue of "grave national importance" on Monday.

The Centre is scheduled to introduce a bill in the Lok Sabha to strengthen the anti-paper leak law today, two days after the Cockroach Janta Party(CJP) called off its agitation following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister and the acceptance of other demands by the government. Yet, the Congress and other opposition parties are in no mood to relent.

Congress MP Manish Tewari has submitted an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the need for a New Anti-Defection Law.

DMK MP Tiruchi Siva has given Suspension of Business Notice in Rajya Sabha under rule 267 to discuss.

“The plight of the students in the country aspiring to become doctors due to NEET exam, and the subsequent endless suicides of the students with regard to the same, and therefore to abolish the disastrous NEET exam," the notice reads.

‘Oppn to seek answers on alleged pellet gun use’

The Opposition Members of Parliament are expected to demand answers from the government in both Houses over allegations of pellet gun use, the deployment of men in plain clothes during the July 20 protest and the injuries suffered by several students.

In a letter to Shah, Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, demanded accountability for what he termed the "barbaric assault" on peacefully protesting students and questioned whether the home minister had approved the use of "lethal force", including pellet guns, against the youth.

The Congress leader alleged that hundreds of students had suffered injuries during the police action and claimed women protesters were assaulted by police personnel.

Referring to 19-year-old student Sahil Lochab, whom he met on Friday, Gandhi said the student was likely to lose vision in one eye after allegedly being hit by pellets during the July 20 protest.

Gandhi also sought to know whether men in plainclothes seen beating students with lathis were police personnel or volunteers and who had authorised their deployment, saying "the country is demanding answers".

He asserted that peaceful protest was integral to democracy and that the government's responsibility was to protect protesters and address their grievances through dialogue.

Separately, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha deputy leader Ghose submitted a notice under Rule 267 seeking suspension of the day's business in the Rajya Sabha on Monday to allow an immediate discussion on what she described as the "use of excessive force on student protestors during NEET examination protests".

Calling it a matter of grave national importance, Ghose said the right to peaceful protest was a constitutional right, but student protesters had allegedly been subjected to "lethal and semi-lethal force" by security agencies.

Her notice referred to reports of pellet gun injuries, "including the possible loss of vision of one student due to use of the pellet gun by the Rapid Action Force", and sought answers on who authorised the use of such weapons and what protocols were followed.

The first week of the Monsoon Session was washed out due to protests by the Opposition which had extended support to the CJI-led stir over the NEET issue.

New anti-paper leak bill listed

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha on Monday, proposes setting up fast-track courts in every state for paper leak cases and completion of investigations within two months.

It also has provisions for enhanced punishment, including imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines up to ₹50 lakh for individuals involved in paper leaks. Organised crimes related to paper leaks could attract fines of up to ₹10 crore.

The proposed amendments come after nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak. The agitation, spearheaded by the CJP, began at Jantar Mantar on June 20 and gathered momentum after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined an indefinite fast on June 28.

CJP protest ended on Saturday

The 36-day agitation ended on Saturday after the government accepted key demands of the protesters and Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as education minister. Delhi Police has denied that its personnel used pellet guns during the July 20 protest, while the CRPF has not publicly responded to allegations involving the Rapid Action Force.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday appealed to all Members of Parliament to participate in the discussion on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, scheduled to be taken up in Parliament on Monday.

In a post on X, Rijiju said, "After listening to the voice the young generation and the historic decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the future of students, I appeal to all the MPs to participate in tomorrow's The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill."

Opposition leaders to meet at 10 AM

The meeting of leaders of Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha is scheduled to be held at 10 am today at the Rajya Sabha LoP office in Parliament to work out the future strategy to be adopted during the ongoing Monsoon Session.

According to the listed agenda of Lok Sabha for Monday, Jitendra Singh will also move the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 for passing after it is introduced in the House.

The Bill introduces seven key amendments designed to plug enforcement loopholes, establish dedicated judicial mechanisms, and accelerate criminal trials.

The proposed legislation seeks to significantly overhaul the 2024 framework by instituting strict time bounds for both investigations and judicial proceedings.

(With agency inputs)