New Delhi: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Monday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government asking who ordered use of pellet guns on the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters.
For context, during the CJP's Sansad Chalo march on July 20, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) fired "at least seven rounds" from pellet guns of which five hit peaceful protesters, according to a report by news platform The Indian Express.
News platform The Wire reported citing the general diary entry filed at the Parliament Street police station that RAF fired two rounds from an anti-riot gun on the directions of a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).
Initially, RAF and Delhi police denied the use of excessive force and pellet guns, however, the videos surfaced on social media proving the incident.
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi presented a protester who faced pellet guns. Many protesters came with hospital records which proves the use of pellet guns by the security forces.
Speaking in Parliament during the discussion on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, Gogoi alleged that police personnel used batons, electric batons and physical force against demonstrators, including women protesters.
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He demanded that the government disclose who ordered the police action and called on the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to explain the circumstances under which force was used.
Going further, he alleged that the government is not serious about reforming the education system and that the proposed anti-leak bill is merely a "showpiece" measure.
He said that the government had failed to address the root causes of examination-related irregularities.
"This is just a showpiece bill," Gogoi said, noting that a similar law had already been enacted in 2024 amid widespread concerns over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. At that time, he said, the government had claimed the legislation would prevent paper leaks and restore confidence in the examination system. However, he questioned the effectiveness of the law and sought an update on the investigation into the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case.
Citing media reports, Gogoi claimed that 44 of the 45 accused arrested in connection with the alleged NEET-UG 2024 paper leak had already secured bail. He further alleged that the key accused, described as the "mastermind" of the case, remained absconding for nearly 11 months before being arrested in April 2025 and later obtaining bail.
According to Gogoi, several other accused linked to the case had also been granted bail, demonstrating what he described as the government's lack of seriousness towards students and examination reforms.
READ: Explained: What the Centre's new anti-paper leak bill mean for students
The Congress leader argued that if the 2024 law had been strong enough, another major paper leak controversy would not have surfaced within two years. He described the proposed amendment as a "monument to the government's failure" and said merely increasing penalties and punishments would not solve systemic issues in the education sector.
Targeting former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Gogoi alleged that the minister initially denied any irregularities in the NEET examination and maintained for months that there had been no wrongdoing.
Referring to student suicides, he claimed that 21 students had taken their own lives and questioned why accountability had not been fixed.
Gogoi also criticised the government's approach towards educational reforms, saying the focus should have been on eliminating the influence of "paper mafias", coaching centres, testing centres, printing press networks and other entities allegedly involved in examination malpractices. He argued that broader reforms were needed to align examination syllabi with school education and improve the overall quality of the education system.
The Congress MP further questioned the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), raising concerns over staffing, appointments and the role of its leadership. He alleged that despite repeated controversies, the government continued to protect officials responsible for overseeing examinations.
He also accused the ruling dispensation of seeking ideological influence over educational institutions and appointments in universities and colleges.
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