A war of words broke out between Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday over the police action during the recent students’ protests over the NEET examination paper leak.

The tussle between the two leaders started on Tuesday when Rijiju said the Delhi Police should be praised for ensuring that no lives were lost during the protests. Gandhi criticised the remarks and accused the government of defending what he described as police “brutality” against students.

#WATCH | Delhi: On the Jantar Mantar protest, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says, “…Not a single person was harmed; not a single person suffered a broken bone. Not even one protester is in the hospital with a serious injury. Consider the scale of this… pic.twitter.com/Y3nNSmVML3

— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2026

On Wednesday, responding to Gandhi, Rijiju listed several instances of police firing and deaths during protests and agitations under Congress governments.

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He also said the government’s priority should be the “life and security” of citizens and claimed that the present government had shown “maximum restraint” during agitations.

What Kiren Rijiju said

“Life & security of the citizens should be top priority for the Govt. No life was lost during the students protest on NEET Exam paper leaks despite many criminals tried to take advantage,” Rijiju said in a post on X.

Life & security of the citizens should be top priority for the Govt. No life was lost during the students protest on NEET Exam paper leaks despite many criminals tried to take advantage.

During Congress regime:-


1. Air Force was used to bomb Indian citizens in Mizoram.

2.… https://t.co/r6MOCrNnz3

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 19, 2026

He then cited a series of incidents, including the 1969 Telangana movement, the Turkman Gate demolition and firing during the Emergency in 1976, the anti-sterilisation protests in Muzaffarnagar in 1976 and the Nav Nirman movement in Gujarat in 1973-74.

Rijiju also referred to the Moga agitation in Punjab in 1972, the Multai farmers’ agitation in Madhya Pradesh in 1998, the Mudigonda land agitation in Andhra Pradesh in 2007, and police firing during protests at Sompeta and Kakarapalli in Andhra Pradesh in 2010 and 2011.

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Also mentioned was the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project protest in Maharashtra in 2011, where a protester was killed in police firing.

“There are many more police firing cases during Congress (regime),” Rijiju said.

Rijiju also referred to the use of the Air Force during the Mizo National Front uprising in Mizoram.

What Rahul Gandhi had said

His remarks came after Gandhi hit out at the government on Tuesday over Rijiju’s earlier comments praising the Delhi Police.

“Ministers of the Modi government are saying that ‘the Delhi Police should be praised’,” Gandhi said in his post on X.

मोदी सरकार के मंत्री कह रहे हैं कि “दिल्ली पुलिस की तारीफ करनी चाहिए।”

संसद से आधा किलोमीटर दूर, शांतिपूर्ण छात्रों पर पैलेट गन चली, कील लगी लाठियाँ चलीं, एक बच्चे की आँख चली गई, एक बच्ची का कान कट गया। इस बर्बरता की तारीफ करनी चाहिए?

मैं ख़ुद उन घायल बच्चों से मिला हूँ।… https://t.co/LELgwxuQcE

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 18, 2026

He alleged that students protesting near Parliament had faced pellet guns and lathi charges and claimed that one student had lost an eye and a girl had suffered an ear injury.

“Should we praise this brutality?” Gandhi said, adding that he had personally met some of the injured students. He also alleged that videos of the police action had been widely seen and accused the government of denying what had happened.

Gandhi further criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that Shah had remained absent from the Opposition’s questions during the parliamentary session and that the Prime Minister had not apologised to the protesting students.

“The fundamental mantra of this government is untruth and violence,” Gandhi said.