Rahul Gandhi's 'idiot, andhbhakt' jibe creates ruckus in Lok Sabha, Speaker orders unparliamentary words to be expunged

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday addressing the Lok Sabha during the debate on the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, said there are "three categories" of people in the country, students, "idiots" and "andhbhakts".

The remarks triggered an uproar in the House, prompting Speaker Om Birla to ask Gandhi to confine his speech to the subject under discussion. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objected to the use of what he termed an "unparliamentary" expression, following which the Speaker directed that the word be expunged from the proceedings.

Drawing a contrast between students and what he described as "idiots", Gandhi said students acknowledge that knowledge is constantly evolving, while "idiots" believe they know everything and refuse to listen to others. He further claimed that "andhbhakts" were those who "hollow India's roots."


Also Read: 'Welcomed him as if he were a superstar': Priyanka Gandhi slams BJP MPs for felicitating Pradhan

Referring to students, Gandhi said they understand that the world is "constantly changing and in movement" and that "knowledge is also constantly changing", adding that they respect the growth and perspectives of others.

In contrast, he said there was "another group of people, who are not students and claimed they believed the universe is static and knowledge emerges from inside them". Gandhi said such people "believe that they are God, are arrogant, don't listen and don't respect other people's truths", adding that "the student called them idiots."

Gandhi also referred to a third category, which he termed "andhbhakts", saying an "Andbhakt is a person who hollows India's roots."

Ahead of Gandhi's intervention, Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress and other Opposition parties of trying to divert attention from the issue and expressed hope that the Leader of Opposition would address the House on the subject.

Also Read:'Dharmendra Pradhan is symbol of corruption': Rahul Gandhi

"Such an important Bill is being discussed, but they are trying to divert attention by talking about unrelated issues and politicising it," he said.

Rijiju also criticised Gandhi's political rhetoric, saying, Rahul Gandhi is using all kinds of undemocratic and very abusive language, which is not in keeping with the correct discourse in a parliamentary democracy. One must use civilised and soft language.

"We may differ with each other, but the kind of abusive and demeaning language Rahul ji uses is not good for democracy and not good for our country," the minister said.

The parliamentary discussion comes days after former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following widespread protests over the alleged NEET paper leak and concerns over irregularities in the examination system. Following his resignation, President Droupadi Murmu accepted Pradhan's resignation and assigned Union Minister Pralhad Joshi the additional charge of the Ministry of Education.

The resignation has continued to trigger political sparring. On Tuesday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra termed it "shameful" that BJP MPs welcomed Pradhan in the Parliament complex two days after his resignation "as if he were a superstar". Pradhan was felicitated by party colleagues with a traditional cap and stole as they raised slogans of "Pradhan Zindabad", while Opposition MPs countered with slogans of "Chor, chor, paper chor".

Asked about the felicitation, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Don't you think it is shameful? Everyone saw the circumstances under which Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, but yesterday in the Parliament premises, he was welcomed as if he were a superstar!"

She also alleged that students continued to face harassment. "No one can trust the Modi government, because even today, students are being harassed. I saw some Instagram handles with photographs of women alleging that they did such and such a thing...Do you want to engage in talks to resolve this matter or you are still after the students, wanting to suppress them? This is wrong," she said.

Also Read: Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation superficial, RSS runs India's education ministry: Rahul Gandhi

Earlier this week, Rahul Gandhi had also criticised the BJP for felicitating Pradhan in Parliament.

"Dharmendra Pradhan is, and will always remain, the symbol of corruption and India's ruined education system. It is that very system that took the lives of 26 children and forced lakhs of youth onto the streets. His resignation did not come out of morality - it was forced out of fear of the youth's rage. And today, the BJP is garlanding that same person inside Parliament. This is not an honour--it is a celebration of ruining the futures of lakhs of children. Every student in the country is watching this. And they will remember every face involved in this," Gandhi had said.

The resignation followed weeks of nationwide protests by students demanding accountability and reforms in the examination system, with Opposition parties continuing to target the government over its handling of the controversy and the alleged police action against protesters.