Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on the floor of the Lok Sabha that Home Minister Amit Shah ordered students to be shot [1].
The accusation highlights a deepening political conflict over the government's handling of student demonstrations and the legitimacy of police force during civil unrest.
Speaking in New Delhi, Gandhi referred to protests that took place on July 20, 2026 [1], regarding the NEET-UG paper-leak controversy. He said that either Amit Shah ordered that students be shot with pellet guns and beaten with lathis with nails, or he was unaware of what happened [2]. Gandhi used the allegation to call for the Home Minister's resignation, describing the situation as a punishment bill for the paper leak [2].
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra denied the allegations. Patra said no shots were fired at students and no such order was given by the Home Minister, adding that the statement is a lie without any evidence [3]. He said that zero shots were fired during the events in question [3].
Other BJP officials characterized the claims as an attempt to spread confusion and incite anarchy. An unnamed BJP spokesperson said the Congress leader is trying to create chaos for political gains [4]. The party maintains that the narrative of lethal force is false and intended to mislead the public [3].
The dispute centers on events at colleges in Delhi where students demonstrated against the leak of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test undergraduate exam. While Gandhi framed the response as heavy-handed, the BJP maintains that the security response did not involve firearms [4].
“"No shots were fired at students and no such order was given by the Home Minister; this is a lie without any evidence."”
This clash illustrates the high-stakes political theater surrounding the NEET-UG paper-leak scandal. By targeting the Home Minister directly, the opposition is attempting to link administrative failure in exam security to state-sponsored violence, while the ruling party is framing these claims as disinformation intended to destabilize public order.
