The stand-off between the government and the Opposition in Parliament continued on Wednesday, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah saying he was ready to answer the Opposition’s questions on the police action against protesters in Delhi last month. The Opposition, however, rejected Shah’s proposal for a two-day discussion on the NEET paper leak and other issues, followed by a reply from him, saying it was not interested in the minister’s “lectures”.
The day kicked off with Shah daring the Opposition to submit a formal letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla by 2 pm for a debate. The Home Minister said he would attend the proceedings to address the Opposition’s questions if the discussion began on Wednesday. “I want to tell the Opposition that you write to Speaker (Om Birla) by 2 pm; we will begin the discussion by 3 pm,” he said, adding that it was up to the Opposition to decide if it wanted a debate or create turmoil.
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“Rules and procedures have been made for discussion in Parliament; someone asks me to just give a statement — something as serious as this cannot be debated like that. This may be in your tradition, but it is not the Parliamentary tradition,” Shah said.
Also read | ‘Let there be doodh ka doodh, pani ka pani’: Amit Shah’s Parliament debate call
The Home Minister said the government was even willing to suspend Question Hour, subject to the Speaker’s approval, to allow an extended discussion. “I am ready for a discussion until 3 pm tomorrow. I will be present myself, I will write everything myself, and reply to the discussion so that everything is clarified in front of the nation.”
Shah took exception to Opposition leaders describing him as “laapata (missing)” and someone who had fled, saying such terms had entered public and parliamentary discourse only recently. “Since the session started, I have been coming to Parliament regularly. I have sat in my chamber,” he said.
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The minister also criticised the Opposition for preventing Parliament from functioning, saying there was little purpose in attending the House if proceedings were continuously disrupted. “Because the Opposition is just not letting Parliament function, what will one do after attending them?” he asked.
Shah placed the onus on the Opposition to decide whether it wanted a debate or continued disruption, saying, “Now the people should decide who is running away.” Later, in a letter to Birla, he urged him to consult the Opposition for a discussion on the issue.
Responding to the comments, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the INDIA bloc wants Shah to answer specific questions.
“The balloon has burst, and now, at the last moment, they are trying to refill the gas. Amit Shah has no courage,” Gandhi said, adding that said the Opposition was not interested in hearing the Home Minister’s “imagination”, “lectures or a discussion”. Instead, the government must answer specific questions about the alleged use of force against protesting students, he said.
“Who blinded one of the students and shot one of the students in the ear? Who gave the order to beat the students with lathis with nails? “Did Mr Amit Shah give this order to shoot our children? If he did, he should resign because he is culpable. And if he did not, he should resign because he is incompetent,” he asked.
Gandhi alleged that Shah had “disappeared” in the last 20 days despite visiting Parliament. “He used to come here (Parliament complex). His cars would come and go. There were 30 cars around him. Students should know this. If you go outside his house, there were thousands of policemen so that the students don’t reach there,” said the LoP.
The Congress leader also rejected the BJP’s allegation that he had remained silent on violence against students in Jharkhand. “I am not quiet on that. I have said that we don’t appreciate any violence against our students. I am openly saying this,” he said.
Inside Parliament
At the start of the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla appealed to protesting Opposition MPs to allow the House to function. However, faced with an unrelenting Opposition, he adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
When the House reconvened, Lok Sabha secretary general Utpal Kumar Singh laid on the table the probe report on allegations of cash discovered at the Delhi residence of Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court. Later, MoS (Home) Nityanand Rai moved the motion to refer the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. This led the Opposition to rise in protest, with Congress MP K C Venugopal and DMK’s T R Baalu demanding its complete withdrawal instead. They alleged that the Bill targets minorities.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju intervened at this point, saying the Opposition should welcome the government’s decision since hearings in the JPC would help address any objections.
When the Lok Sabha reconvened at 3 pm, it passed the Mines and Minerals Bill. It was adjourned for the day soon after, even as Rijiju told the Opposition that the NEET paper leak could immediately begin if they allowed the House to function.
Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed, with a voice vote, a Bill to rename Kerala as Keralam. The Lok Sabha had passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, on Tuesday. The Upper House also approved the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to amend the National Co-operative Development Corporation Act, 1962, which the Lok Sabha had passed the day before. The Monsoon Session is set to end on Thursday.