Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday, 29 July sharply criticised Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, asserting that Gandhi had 'got himself trapped' by making what Rijiju called 'lies' against Home Minister Amit Shah on the floor of the Lok Sabha. The remarks came after Gandhi targeted Shah over alleged police excesses against protesters during the July 20 Parliament march, during a debate on the anti-paper leak Bill.

What Rijiju Said

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament House in New Delhi, Rijiju said: 'He (Rahul Gandhi) got trapped himself. If Rahul Gandhi had spoken on the issue in a better way, then he would have got some praise. He got trapped by taking the name of Home Minister.'

Rijiju went further, stating that Gandhi is 'very badly trapped by making such a misleading statement' and that the Congress leader 'may try to clarify later, but now it is in the records.'

'He is now in a difficult situation after stating lies and now cannot come out of the difficulties that he has created for himself. I feel sorry for him,' Rijiju added.

The Constitutional Argument

Rijiju explained that ordering police action during protests falls outside a minister's legal jurisdiction entirely. 'These are the orders to be passed by the District Magistrate or the Sub-Divisional Magistrate who are present at that particular spot. It is their power,' he said.

He elaborated: 'The rules are very clear. If the protests turn violent, the magistrate is the one who decides whether shots need to be fired or not. How can the Home Minister take the magistrate's power. Leave about firing, a Minister can never pass an executive order...the Leader of Opposition does not know about this and so claimed that the Home Minister gave the order.'

Gandhi's Failure on the Anti-Paper Leak Bill

Beyond the Shah controversy, Rijiju also took aim at Gandhi's performance during the substantive debate on the anti-paper leak Bill — legislation aimed at curbing malpractice in competitive examinations. As Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Rijiju said he had expected a meaningful intervention from the Leader of Opposition, which Gandhi 'failed' to deliver.

'Despite being the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi could not speak even one point on the anti-paper leak bill, such an important (Bill) to prevent the unfair means. He could not speak a word about the provisions in the Bill,' Rijiju said.

Background and Context

The exchange unfolded against a charged parliamentary backdrop. On 20 July, protesters — including members affiliated with the opposition — marched toward Parliament, and reports of police action against agitators surfaced. Gandhi used the anti-paper leak Bill debate to raise the issue, directly naming Home Minister Shah as responsible for the alleged excesses. Rijiju's rebuttal frames this as a constitutional misunderstanding, arguing that crowd-control orders rest with local magistrates, not central ministers. Notably, this is not the first time the Treasury Bench has used procedural arguments to deflect opposition criticism of law-enforcement conduct near Parliament.

With the anti-paper leak Bill at the centre of parliamentary business this session, the government's counter-offensive appears aimed at shifting focus from the July 20 events to Gandhi's legislative engagement — or the perceived lack of it.