Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Bansuri Swaraj on Wednesday, 22 July launched a sharp attack on Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of abandoning his parliamentary duties and 'only attempting to create a ruckus' instead of engaging through constitutional channels. The remarks came a day after Gandhi, alongside senior Congress leaders and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, staged a sit-in near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence in New Delhi over the alleged lathi charge on anti-NEET leak protesters, before being briefly detained by police.

Key Developments

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Swaraj reiterated the Centre's position that the Modi government has consistently prioritised students' interests. 'We work to ensure protection of the students' future,' she said. She also claimed that the protest movement, linked to the NEET paper leak controversy and demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, had been 'politicised' by opposition parties for electoral gain.

What the BJP Said About the Protest

Swaraj cited the case of activist Abhijeet Dipke, who returned from the United States on 6 June, saying Delhi Police granted him protest permission at the airport itself on the same day. She noted that although that permission expired at 5 pm, protesters continued their sit-in at Jantar Mantar for 21 days without any police action to disperse them. 'The government allowed this protest as long as it was peaceful. It is your right to oppose in a democracy... even when the protest took place without permission, the government didn't create obstruction,' she said.

BJP's Charge on Parliament Notice

Swaraj further alleged that no formal notice for a parliamentary discussion on the NEET paper leak had been submitted by the Opposition. She said it was the treasury benches — not the Leader of Opposition — who filed a '193' notice seeking an open debate on the NEET examination. 'The House does not function on anybody's whims and fancies,' she remarked. She added that she herself had submitted a notice for discussion, stating the government 'has nothing to hide' and is 'committed to students' welfare.'

The Retraction Allegation

Swaraj accused Rahul Gandhi of going back on his own word. According to her, Gandhi had indicated that if the government was willing to discuss the issue in Parliament, protesters would vacate the site. She claimed that Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh then went to the protest location to open a dialogue — but that Gandhi subsequently retracted from his stated position. 'The Lok Sabha LoP retracted from his statement,' she alleged.

What Comes Next

With Parliament in session and the NEET controversy continuing to dominate political discourse, the standoff between the treasury benches and the Opposition over the preferred forum for debate — the street versus the House — is likely to intensify. Swaraj's remarks signal that the BJP intends to frame the Opposition's street protests as an evasion of legislative accountability, a line of attack it is expected to press in the coming days.