Rahul Gandhi's 'student, idiot, andhbhakt' remark sparks uproar in Lok Sabha during anti-paper leak bill debate

Rahul Recalls Conversation With NEET Protester

Speaking during the debate, Gandhi recounted a conversation with an 18-year-old student in the backdrop of the NEET protests.

The Congress MP claimed the student had categorised people into three groups — "student, idiot and a blind follower".

Gandhi said, "Truth is sweet. A student keeps running after the truth. For him or her, truth is sweet. Like Gandhiji said, the windows of his house are open to all winds. Then I asked her, ‘What about the idiot?’ And she said… The hallmark of a student is that the student wears the truth on his own chest, proudly. It’s written here. Then I said, ‘Okay, what about the other type of person who is not a student?’"

He continued, "The other type requires an image. It requires an image. And as that image is not true—because the idiot is trying to pretend that he is God—he has to create this massive image.’ Then I asked another question. I thought there is the student, and then there is the idiot, so I asked her, ‘Tell me one thing, where does the third category fit?’ She said, ‘Which third category?’ I said, ‘Andhbhakt. Where should andhbhakt be placed?'"

"She said 'Andhbhakt is a person who is absolutely convinced that another idiot is God'," he added.

Rijiju Objects to 'Unparliamentary Language'

Objecting to Gandhi's remarks, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Congress leader was using "unparliamentary language" under the guise of quoting a student.

"In the name of quoting a student, Rahul Gandhi-ji is using unparliamentary language," Rijiju said.

He further told the Leader of Opposition, "... you continue with your speech but do not use such words."

About the anti-paper leak bill

The anti-paper leak bill seeks to strengthen the legal framework to prevent question paper leaks and curb malpractice in public examinations across the country.

The proposed legislation comes in the wake of several high-profile examination paper leak controversies, including the NEET-UG and UGC-NET cases, which triggered nationwide protests and renewed calls for stricter laws against exam-related fraud.