Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Wednesday launched a sharp counter-offensive against Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi after he accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of 'capturing' the education system, calling it the 'real enemy' of students and alleging it wanted young Indians to become 'Andhabhakts' — or blind adherents. Gandhi made the remarks during debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi.

What Rahul Gandhi Said

Speaking on the floor of the House, Gandhi alleged that India's education system had grown increasingly privatised and that the RSS exercised significant influence over educational institutions and policymaking. He further claimed the organisation was attempting to impose what he described as a distorted version of history on students, rather than encouraging independent thinking or allowing them to pursue their own interests.

BJP's Response in Parliament and Outside

Countering Gandhi's allegations, Union Minister Piyush Goyal described the RSS as a 'social, socio-cultural organisation' and asserted that the Ministry of Education functions strictly according to established rules. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament House, Goyal said: 'The Department of Education has its own complete systems. Officers supervise all its systems, and our government is engaged in establishing good systems in the country. Unlike them, where a national advisory council and an extra-constitutional authority like Sonia Gandhi would run the government.'

BJP MPs Take Aim at the Gandhi Family

BJP MP Anurag Thakur took a pointed jibe, saying: 'Every generation of theirs has a phobia of the RSS.' Thakur went further, suggesting that if Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi attended an RSS 'shakha', they would 'gain some culture and understanding' and stop making such remarks. He argued that repeated criticism of the RSS only revealed the family's own limitations, not the organisation's.

Giriraj Singh Raises Defamation Question

Union Minister Giriraj Singh, in a self-recorded video, raised the prospect of legal consequences, saying: 'If the RSS files a defamation case against him, how will he respond? He will have to answer. Making baseless statements and speaking like a child does not reflect the conduct expected of the Leader of the Opposition.' Singh's remarks signal that the ruling party may seek to escalate the dispute beyond the parliamentary arena.

Context and What Comes Next

The exchange unfolded during debate on a bill aimed at curbing malpractice in public examinations — a legislative agenda that was overshadowed by the political confrontation. This is not the first time the Congress and the BJP have clashed over the RSS's role in public institutions; the dispute reflects a long-running fault line in Indian politics over the organisation's influence on education, culture, and governance. With both sides digging in, the controversy is likely to spill into subsequent parliamentary sessions and campaign rhetoric ahead of upcoming state elections.