Photo: IANS
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha witnessed a heated confrontation on Tuesday after Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to appoint Pralhad Joshi as the new Union education minister, referring to Joshi's past remarks on the premature release of the 11 men convicted in the Bilkis Bano case.
Participating in the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Priyanka Gandhi reportedly asked what message the Prime Minister intended to send to women by appointing Joshi, alleging that he had expressed approval over the release of the Bilkis Bano convicts, The Wire reported.
She referred to Joshi's 2022 interviews with NDTV and The Indian Express, in which he had stated that the convicts' release was carried out in accordance with legal provisions and that he did not find anything wrong with the process.
Her remarks triggered protests from Treasury bench members, with Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accusing her of engaging in "character assassination." He argued that the remarks should be removed from the parliamentary record and said that if she could not substantiate her claims, she should apologise to the House.
Pralhad Joshi also objected to the remarks, stating that he had not been served notice under Rule 353 despite being present in the House. He described the allegations as misinformation, demanded that the remarks be expunged from the record and called on Priyanka Gandhi to apologise.
Amid the uproar, Priyanka Gandhi reportedly maintained that she was prepared to authenticate her statements.
Outside Parliament, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the BJP's choice of education minister, alleging that the party had appointed someone who had defended the release of convicted rapists. He also launched a sharp personal attack on Joshi while reiterating his criticism of the appointment.