NDA fires back at Kharge over cane charge allegations in Rajya Sabha
Synopsis
What began as a debate on an exam anti-cheating bill in the Rajya Sabha turned into a full-throated political brawl on 30 July, with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge accusing the Centre of ordering a cane charge on students — and NDA ministers hitting back hard, calling his allegations baseless and advising him to focus on saving his own party chair.
Key Takeaways
Congress President and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge alleged on 30 July that the Centre ordered a cane charge on protesting students.
Kharge argued that Delhi Police and CRPF fall under Home Minister Amit Shah , making the ministry accountable.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh accused Kharge of not addressing the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 and using abusive language.
Minister Ramdas Athawale called Kharge's accusations 'baseless' and said the NDA's majority was not under threat.
Remarks by Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi in the Lower House on Wednesday were expunged from parliamentary records after protests from Treasury benches.
BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said the government had shown 'great restraint' and dismissed Kharge's remarks as 'meaningless.'
Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress President, on Thursday, 30 July alleged in the Upper House that the Centre had ordered a cane charge on protesting students and was prioritising politics over their futures — drawing an immediate and sharp rebuttal from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government. The exchange erupted during a debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.
Kharge's Allegations on the Floor
Participating in the Rajya Sabha debate, Kharge asserted that the Delhi Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) fall directly under the jurisdiction of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, arguing that any cane charge on students could not have been sanctioned without the Home Ministry's approval. 'You're sitting inside a room, without being answerable to anything, but we will bring you out,' Kharge said, insisting the Home Minister could not evade accountability.
NDA's Counterattack
Union Minister Giriraj Singh was among the first to respond, contending that Kharge had not addressed the bill's substance at all. 'Kharge did not speak about the bill at all. Instead, he used abusive language...saying things like, 'I will drag him here',' Singh said.
Union Minister and Republican Party of India (Athawale) chief Ramdas Athawale went further, dismissing Kharge's concerns about the government's stability. 'Mallikarjun Kharge ji should not worry about saving our chair...he should in fact focus on protecting his own position as the Congress President. Our (NDA) government has a clear majority, and there is no need for us to worry about saving our chair,' Athawale said. He also called Kharge's accusations over the police action against protesters 'baseless.'
Rahul Gandhi's Remarks and the Expunged Word
Athawale also responded to remarks made by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during the Lower House debate on Wednesday, which had prompted protests from Treasury benches. The contentious word was subsequently expunged from parliamentary records. 'It is not right to use that word...(Union Minister) Kiren Rijiju thrice got up and told him not to use unparliamentary words and stop making baseless allegations, that is why there was an uproar from our (Treasury bench) side,' Athawale said. He also advised Gandhi to maintain the dignity of his position as Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition.
BJP MP Calls Kharge's Remarks 'Meaningless'
BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal echoed the government's line, saying: 'Only Kharge ji knows what he is saying now. Our (NDA) government has taken all the necessary steps from time to time. The government showed great restraint throughout the matter, which everyone has seen, heard, and understood. Therefore, I think whatever Kharge ji says is meaningless.'
The heated exchanges signal that the student examination reform bill, intended to curb malpractice in public exams, has become a flashpoint for a broader political confrontation between the ruling alliance and the opposition over the government's handling of student protests. How the bill progresses through the Upper House will be closely watched in the coming days.
Point of View
But the government's response sidestepped the substance of that accountability argument entirely. Notably, no minister directly denied the cane charge allegation; they attacked the messenger instead. With Rahul Gandhi's remarks expunged from the Lower House record the previous day, the opposition appears to be pushing the limits of parliamentary language to amplify its message — a strategy that risks ceding the moral high ground it needs on the student issue.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Mallikarjun Kharge allege in the Rajya Sabha on 30 July?
Kharge alleged that the Centre had ordered a cane charge on protesting students and accused the government of prioritising politics over students' futures. He argued that because Delhi Police and the CRPF fall under Home Minister Amit Shah's jurisdiction, the Home Ministry could not evade responsibility for the action.
What is the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026?
It is a legislative proposal before Parliament aimed at preventing malpractice and unfair means in public examinations. The bill was being debated in the Rajya Sabha on 30 July when the political confrontation between the NDA and the opposition broke out.
How did the NDA government respond to Kharge's allegations?
Union Ministers Giriraj Singh and Ramdas Athawale, along with BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal, dismissed Kharge's allegations as baseless and politically motivated. Athawale also told Kharge to focus on protecting his own position as Congress President rather than questioning the NDA's majority.
Why were Rahul Gandhi's remarks expunged from Parliament records?
Rahul Gandhi's remarks during the Lok Sabha debate on Wednesday drew protests from Treasury benches for allegedly using unparliamentary language. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju reportedly asked him three times to stop, after which the word was expunged from the official parliamentary record.
Who is Ramdas Athawale and what did he say?
Ramdas Athawale is a Union Minister and the chief of the Republican Party of India (Athawale), a constituent of the NDA. He called Kharge's accusations over police action 'baseless' and advised Rahul Gandhi to maintain the dignity of his position as Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition.
