'No shots fired, only tear gas used,' says Jitendra Singh in Lok Sabha

Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh on Wednesday told the Lok Sabha that no shots were fired during a recent incident, and that tear gas was used instead, while participating in a discussion in the House.

"It was repeatedly clarified that no shots were fired; tear gas was used. Since no shots were fired, the question of issuing an order does not arise. The authority to issue such an order rests with the magistrate, not the minister," Singh said, according to PTI.

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The minister's remarks came during a debate in the Lok Sabha over an anti-paper leak bill. Singh said 52 FIRs have been lodged since the anti-paper leak law came into force in 2024.

Singh also referred to penalty provisions in the proposed bill. He said fines on service providers under the earlier 2024 anti-cheating law, which stood at up to Rs 1 crore, have been increased to up to Rs 5 crore. He added that the jail term for directors and management under the earlier law, which ranged from three to 10 years, has also been revised.

According to Singh, the penalty under the 2024 law of three to five years imprisonment along with a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh has been increased to five to 10 years imprisonment with a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh. He said in-charge personnel under the proposed bill face imprisonment of five to 10 years, up from three to 10 years earlier, along with a fine of Rs 5 crore, up from Rs 1 crore. For organised crime networks, the minister said a minimum of seven years in jail, up from five years, and a fine of up to Rs 10 crore, up from Rs 1 crore, has been proposed.

During his address, Singh said the opposition was politicising the discussion on the bill instead of offering suggestions. He referred to remarks made by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, calling the language used unparliamentary, and said Gandhi appeared to lack awareness of parliamentary norms.

Singh also referred to an incident on July 21, when Gandhi sat outside 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, the Prime Minister's residence.

On education, Singh said the number of higher education institutes, including AIIMS, has increased during the NDA government's tenure. He said the National Education Policy 2020 has given students flexibility, including entry and exit options across courses, and said the earlier system restricted students to rigid academic paths.

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Singh further said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi had cited incorrect data during her remarks in the House on the government's education initiatives.

"It was repeatedly clarified that no shots were fired; tear gas was used. Since no shots were fired, the question of issuing an order does not arise. The authority to issue such an order rests with the magistrate, not the minister," Singh reiterated in the House.