PM Modi, Amit Shah attend NDA’s ‘Mangal Milan’ ahead of paper leak bill discussion

Parliament is set for a stormy debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill on Tuesday, with the Centre facing sustained Opposition attacks over the NEET paper leak controversy and the police crackdown on student protesters.

Ahead of the discussion, the NDA Parliamentary Party held its weekly ‘Mangal Milan’ meeting at Parliament, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The amended bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday, proposes tougher penalties, including higher fines and stricter jail terms, for those involved in examination paper leaks. After consultations led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the government and Opposition agreed to hold a six-hour debate on the legislation. The Opposition has already submitted 93 amendments, setting the stage for an intense confrontation.

The debate comes days after former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak and other examination irregularities. His arrival in Parliament on Monday was greeted with cheers from BJP MPs, drawing sharp criticism from Opposition parties.

The Opposition is also expected to target the government over allegations of excessive police action during the July 20 student protests, demanding answers from Home Minister Amit Shah over the reported use of pellet guns and other force against demonstrators.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said Opposition parties would decide their next course of action after Tuesday’s debate, reiterating demands for assurances that students will not face injustice, compensation for affected families, and accountability for the police response.

Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which spearheaded the anti-paper leak protests, claimed the government has assured it that FIRs against protesters will be withdrawn and no further legal action will be taken. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said Bihar and Assam have already issued notifications withdrawing cases, while similar assurances have been received for Rajasthan. Das said Delhi Police representatives, who acted as interlocutors during negotiations, reiterated that more formal guarantees from the Centre and BJP-ruled states are expected.