Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, calling him “the most filthy type of man” and accusing him of defending rapists. The remarks came shortly after Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra levelled similar allegations against Joshi in the Lok Sabha, triggering a heated exchange in Parliament.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Rahul Gandhi questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to appoint Joshi as the Education Minister at a time when students across the country were protesting over the NEET paper leak controversy.
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Referring to the recent student protests, Rahul said it was shocking that the government had chosen a minister who had, according to him, defended those convicted in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case. “There can be no filthier man than somebody who says that rapists need protection. That is the Education Minister of India,” the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
Rahul also criticised the Prime Minister, saying there were several other ministers who could have been entrusted with the portfolio. “He could have chosen any one of them, but he chose a person who protects rapists,” he alleged.
The Congress leader’s remarks appeared to refer to Joshi’s 2022 defence of the Gujarat government’s decision to grant remission to the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. The Supreme Court later set aside the remission and ordered the convicts back to prison.
Responding in the Lok Sabha, Joshi rejected the allegations made by Priyanka Gandhi, saying her claims were baseless and demanding an apology. He also sought action against what he termed the spread of misinformation.
The political confrontation unfolded as the Lok Sabha began a marathon discussion on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced following the NEET paper leak controversy and the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
