Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh on Wednesday, 29 July launched a sharp attack on Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the lower House, asserting that the Congress party's 21 July sit-in near the Prime Minister's official residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg reflected Gandhi's frustration over his unfulfilled desire to occupy the PM's bungalow. The remarks came during a parliamentary debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which the Lok Sabha subsequently passed.

The 7 LKM Jibe

Speaking on the floor of the House, Singh said the Leader of the Opposition had gone to stage a sit-in near the PM's residence, and that after reflection, he concluded Gandhi had long desired to be chosen as Prime Minister and live at 7, LKM — and that since that desire remained unfulfilled, Gandhi arrived at the door of the PM's residence 'filled with frustration and hopelessness.'

The MoS for the Prime Minister's Office further alleged that when Gandhi was asked to leave, he complied without resistance, adding that despite police merely requesting him to move, 'all of them shamelessly left the area.'

Congress Called 'Missing in Action'

Broadening his attack on the Indian National Congress, Singh alleged the party joined the protest only out of fear of missing out — invoking Gen Z parlance to make his point. He claimed Congress was initially hesitant to join, viewing it as an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) movement, but jumped in once it gained momentum — what he called being 'MIA' (Missing in Action) followed by 'FOMO' (Fear of Missing Out).

Singh then quoted Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib to characterise the Congress's exit from the protest site: 'Bade beaabru hokar tere kuche se ham nikle, bohot nikle mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikle' — evoking the image of leaving a place in great dishonour with many desires yet unfulfilled.

Rebuttal on Anti-Paper Leak Debate

Responding to Opposition speakers, Singh took aim at Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, who had alleged that atrocities were committed against innocent students during protests against paper leaks. Singh countered by citing what he described as the killing of 860 people — most of them students — during All India Students Union protests in Assam between 1979 and 1984, a period when Congress was in power at the Centre.

The minister also challenged figures cited by Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who had claimed that paper leaks occurred 152 times and affected 750 crore students. Singh pointed out that 750 crore equals 7.5 billion — close to the entire global population of roughly 8 billion. 'I don't know where this figure came from; either there is some mischief or it is ignorance,' he said.

NEET Case Update and FIR Count

On enforcement under the existing law, Singh noted that 52 FIRs have been lodged in the two years since the 2024 anti-paper leak Act came into force — directly contradicting Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's claim that no action had been taken. He also confirmed that a chargesheet against the accused in the NEET paper leak case was filed on 28 July, with trial commencing on 29 July under a new legal framework mandating a verdict within five months.

With the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 now passed by the Lok Sabha, the legislative battle over examination integrity moves to the Rajya Sabha, where the Opposition is expected to press its objections further.