Lok Sabha debate turns stormy after Rahul Gandhi's 'idiot' reference, Kiren Rijiju objects to language

A debate in the Lok Sabha on the Public Examination Prevention of Unfair Means Amendment Bill 2026 turned contentious on Wednesday after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi used the word idiot while recounting a conversation with a student during his speech Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objected to the expression calling it unparliamentary while Speaker Om Birla directed that such remarks be expunged from the official proceedingsEarlier in his speech Rahul Gandhi said he was encouraged by the student protests over the NEET paper leak issue describing them as a positive expression of the countrys youth rather than an act of anger or violenceRahul Gandhi praises student protestsParticipating in the debate Gandhi said the demonstrations reflected the concerns and aspirations of young peopleI was very excited reassured by what the future of this country did on our streets This was not anger not violence not hatred this was an expression deep expressions of the youth of this country of the future generation of this countryHe urged political parties across the spectrum to acknowledge the sentiments expressed by studentsAll parties should respect this expression including my friends in the BJP If my friends in the BJP were to go and ask their own children about what their brothers and sisters were doing they would find agreement among their own children There is nothing wrong with what happened and every Indian should be proud he saidRahul recounts conversation with studentRahul Gandhi said a discussion with a group of students particularly a young woman had shaped his understanding of how young people view education and knowledgeA good starting point would be a conversation I had with some students young girls which gave me a very interesting perspective he saidRecalling the interaction Gandhi said he had asked one of the students what it meant to be a studentThe question I asked the girl was that you said you were a student what does that mean Does it mean you study in a college in a school you read booksShe said a student is someone who has an open mind and an open heart A student is someone who accepts that he does not know everything Whatever he knows will be superseded by new knowledge He knows the universe is dynamic He also understands that knowledge is constantly changing The most important quality she said that a student has is humility he saidIdiot reference sparks uproar in HouseContinuing his speech Gandhi said the student had contrasted that description with another category of peopleThey are absolutely convinced that they know everything They believe that the universe is static and they believe that knowledge emerges from inside them They are arrogant They dont listen they dont respect other peoples truth She said I call them idiots the Leader of Opposition saidThe remark prompted protests from Treasury bench members with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objecting to the use of what he described as an unparliamentary expressionRahul Gandhi clarified that he was quoting the students words and was not referring to any member of the House However Speaker Om Birla instructed that unparliamentary expressions be removed from the official parliamentary recordDebate continues amid objectionsGandhi went on to describe another part of the students explanationHe wears the truth in their chest Gandhi said while describing what the student had told him was the hallmark of a genuine learner He added that the student had contrasted this with people who sought to build an image rather than pursue truthAnd as that image is not true because the idiot is trying to pretend he is God he has to create this image he saidI asked about the third category andhbhakt He is absolutely convinced that the idiot is a God Gandhi saidHe concluded by saying that the framework had been shared by an 18yearold student and argued that although the protests were triggered by examinationrelated issues they reflected broader concerns about the countrys education systemThe exchange led to repeated interruptions in the House with the Speaker urging members to focus on the debate on the examination reforms legislationWith inputs from PTI