The Opposition on July 22, 2026, submitted a notice under Rule 267 in the upper house of the Indian Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, amid ongoing Cockroach Janta Party protests that saw protesters demanding educational reform.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, in the Rajya Sabha, that the discussion must happen under ‘Rule 267.’ 

CJP Protests 2026: What is Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha?

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (July 23, 2026) over students’ protest, saying he takes credit for “going to Mars”, so now it is time for him to take responsibility for his actions.

Speaking with reporters in Parliament House complex, she said the Prime Minister has posted on social media that he cares for children when just last night he got them “teargassed and beaten up”.

“Have you ever seen in the history of our democracy that MPs from the ruling side are standing outside and protesting. Since how many sessions is this going on and they are not able to run this (Parliament session). What is happening outside. He is weak and coward,” she said.

PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday (July 23, 2026) met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against the backdrop of continuous Opposition protests in Parliament over the NEET paper leak.

PTI

Minutes before the House was adjourned for the day, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told the Rajya Sabha Chair Harivansh Singh that LoP Mallikarjun Kharge and other Opposition MPs were “disturbing and disrupting” House proceedings to evade the NEET discussion even after the government said it was ready to formally take it up in Parliament.

This remark, amid relentless protests and sloganeering, came as Mr. Kharge began reading from a letter to highlight the “injustice” to students across the country. Chair Harivansh Singh, who attempted to reason with the MPs to maintain decorum, adjourned the House soon after Mr. Rijiju expressed his disapproval.

The Rajya Sabha will next convene at 11 a.m. on Friday (July 24, 2026).

In Chair: Harivansh Singh

The Deputy Chair adjourned the House for the day amid continued protests by the Opposition demanding resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Opposition is disrupting the parliamentary proceedings by putting more conditions even when the government has come forward to have a full-fledged discussion on the NEET issue.

“Using NEET, using young minds, young students, the Congress party is doing what they are notorious for- disruption of House, no discussion in the House because the truth will come out, and the action taken by the government will all have to come out in the discussion. So they have no cause for further agitation. They don’t want that, and therefore they are disrupting,” she said.

The Lok Sabha, which saw repeated disruptions, was adjourned for the day on Thursday (July 23, 2026) with Chairperson Dilip Saikia urging members to maintain decorum and allow for the proceedings to continue smoothly. The House will next meet at 11 a.m. on Friday (July 24, 2026).

Mr. Saikia attempted to take up matters under Rule 377 of the Lok Sabha Rules of Procedure which allows MPs to raise urgent public matters that cannot be brought up under other rules like Questions, Calling Attention, or Motions.

However, the Opposition MPs continued to raise slogans, demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

Deputy Chair Harivansh Singh adjourned the House till 3 p.m. amid continued Opposition protests.

“It is the fourth day today, let us take up a Bill for discussion. This means you do not want the House to function,” he said, urging members to take their seats and maintain decorum.

In Chair: Dilip Saikia

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday (July 23, 2026) accused the Opposition of attaching “pre-conditions” and trying to run away from a debate on the NEET paper ‘leak’ issue.

As the Opposition insisted on the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Mr. Rijiju told the Lok Sabha that during the discussion, the government would also like to put across its point of view on the matter.

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Kiren Rijiju accuses the Opposition of evading NEET debate and insists on government participation amid calls for Education Minister's resignation.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that if the government is accepting the paper leaks, then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation should be given.

“We will start the discussion after the resignation is given,” he said.

“We wanted a discussion under Rule 267. But they (govt) did not agree to it. They insulted Rahul ji, Priyanka ji and others. We will be ready for any discussion only after the resignation of the Education Minister,” LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said.

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee for the rest of the Monsoon Session for allegedly using inappropriate language against women members of the Nationalist Citizen Party of India (NCPI), into which 20 rebel Trinamool MPs had merged their faction.

A complaint was filed with the Speaker’s Office by NCPI women MPs, including Mitali Bagh, Shatabdi Roy and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.

“The Opposition and Rahul Gandhi are displaying irresponsible behaviour. These people come with placards but do not discuss the topic,” BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said as the Parliament witnessed repeated adjournments today.

“Today, we all are demanding to know why they are running away from discussion. Discuss NEET in Parliament. Prime Minister Modi has said that we will set up fast-track courts...” he added.

Lok Sabha proceedings adjourned till 2 p.m. today as Opposition MPs continued to protest and raise slogans calling for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Many of the members were in the Well of the House.

Amid continued sloganeering by Opposition MPs calling for Pradhan’s resignation, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju reiterated the statements he made in Rajya Sabha earlier today on the government’s willingness to take up discussion on the NEET paper ‘leak’.

Chairperson Saikia urged the members to maintain decorum and let the discussion happen at the “appropriate time without pre-conditions”.

LoP in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge said the Opposition is ready for a discussion, calling for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. He also called for a statement from the government on the NEET paper ‘leak’ and related student deaths.

The House was adjourned till 2 p.m. soon after his remarks amid continuous sloganeering.

In Chair: C.P. Radhakrishnan

In Chair: Dilip Saikia

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, speaking after the Parliament was adjourned till noon amid Opposition din, said proceedings on day 4 were disrupted even though the government is ready for a discussion on the NEET paper ‘leak’ issue.

“We spoke to several Opposition parties. But later they started arbitrary imposing conditions. Today, PM Modi, in very clear terms, has said that he stands by the youth of India,” Mr. Rijiju said, adding the he hopes good sense prevails on Opposition leaders.

“This is the time to come together, to decide the future course to be taken. Parliament is the right and appropriate platform to discuss this. Don’t impose conditions to avoid a debate. It looks like they are looking for excuses,” he added.

Sobhana K. Nair

Referring to protests inside the Parliament premises, BJP MP Sambit Patra said the Congress does not want discussions in the House. “Congress also wastes the time of the House by protesting with banners. The party runs away from the issues on which discussion should be held.”

“In the last 2-3 days, BJP president Nitin Nabin and former party president JP Nadda spoke to the students and Sonam Wangchuk. One thing came out of the talks one thing came out - there should be serious contemplation on the issue of paper leaks and stringent laws should be formed. But, the Congress doesn’t want discussion in the House; it only wants politics,” he added.

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Congress MPs Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and others join the INDI Alliance bloc protest at Makar Dwar inside the Parliament premises. 

NDA MPs are also protesting right opposite the INDI alliance MPs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday (July 23, 2026) that the government has decided to set up fast-track courts for paper leak cases. Mr. Modi stated in a post on X, “We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks,” in his first direct comments tied to major protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on NEET-UG paper ‘leak’.

PM Modi added that he directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard.

PM Modi announces fast-track courts for paper leak cases to protect youth and ensure swift justice.

Chairperson C.P. Radhakrishnan adjourned the Rajya Sabha till noon after repeated requests to maintain the decorum of the House.

Responding to Minister Kiren Rijiju, LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Prime Minsiter’s statement on the government’s move today is an “instigative” one.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must resign, Mr. Kharge reiterated the Congress party’s stance.

As the Rajya Sabha broke into a din, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said the government had decided on a discussion on the NEET paper ‘leak’ issue after talking to all parties, but the Congress, led by Mallikarjun Kharge in the Upper House, “put conditions” on the debate.

“Do not put conditions, this shows your intention that you don’t want to let the discussion happen,” Mr. Rijiju said.

He also stressed on government’s intention of holding a discussion in both Houses “without politicising the matter”. Mr. Rijiju referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the government setting up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper “leaks”. It was his first direct comments tied to major protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in the national capita.

“Without any conditions, I request the Chairperson to decide a time and we are ready for the discussion today itself,” he added.

After repeatedly urging the members to allow the House to function, Lok Sabha Speaker On Birla said: “I appeal to all MPs of the government and the Opposition to come after the Question Hour and discuss the issue within the rules of the House.”

The House has been adjourned till 12 p.m. today.

Lok Sabha breaks into din as soon as Speaker On Birla calls for Question Hour commencement.

Opposition MPs including LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and NCP(SP) MP Supriya Sule held a meeting ahead of the day’s Monsoon Session in Parliament.

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Photo credit: Special arrangement

As the Monsoon Session of Parliament enters its fourth day, Congress MP KC Venugopal has submitted an Adjournment Motion notice in the Lok Sabha. He called for a suspension of regular business to debate the “severe and ongoing crisis” in India’s examination system and address the recent police action against student protesters at Jantar Mantar on July 20.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala gave a notice for the suspension of all business in the Rajya Sabha to discuss the NEET paper leak, police action against protesting students and education reforms.

PTI

Several Opposition members staged a protest near the Makar Dwar on the Parliament premises on Thursday (July 23, 2026), reiterating their demand for the dismissal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid nationwide protests over exam paper leaks. Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi also joined the Opposition MPs in the demonstration.

Meanwhile, parliamentarians from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) held a counter-protest against TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, who was suspended from the House after making objectionable remarks against two women MPs.

Published - July 23, 2026 10:41 am IST

Parliament proceedings / parliament / Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha / Live news / Cockroach Janta Party / politics (general)