New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah Wednesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to consult the Opposition and allocate time for a debate on the NEET paper leak protests. This came soon after he dismissed the Opposition’s claim that he has been avoiding Parliament, asserting that he is ready to answer any questions on the topic.
This comes amid an intense tug-of-war between the Opposition and the Modi government. The Opposition has focused its attack on Shah, indicating that it was unwilling to back down and was not interested in listening to a “lecture” from the Home Minister. Meanwhile, the BJP has said that it is the Opposition now which is running away from discussions when Shah has already offered to discuss the matter. Parliament has seen repeated disruptions due to the deadlock.
In his letter to Birla, Shah stated that the government is ready for a detailed discussion on the paper leak protests and has prepared to answer all questions raised by the Opposition.
In a democracy, solutions emerge through discussion and dialogue, he wrote, adding that he has an “unwavering faith in democracy and democratic institutions”, and that “this House is meant for discussion and dialogue”.
“You are aware that the Honorable Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju, has agreed on behalf of the Government at the Business Advisory Committee meeting to discuss the student protests regarding the NEET exam in Parliament. I would also like to mention that, at the request of the Opposition, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 has already been discussed in the current session of Parliament, where no Honorable Opposition MP expressed any views regarding the NEET exam. Despite this, the government is ready to discuss this issue again,” Shah said in his letter to the Speaker.
“I request you to discuss this with the Opposition and, by mutual agreement, allocate as much time as you deem appropriate starting today. I intend to be present in the House during the allotted time, participate in the discussion on this issue, and am prepared to answer all questions from the opposition,” he added.
“Therefore, you are requested to discuss this important issue with the opposition leaders and arrange a discussion in a conducive atmosphere so that all the honourable members of the ruling and opposition parties can present their valuable opinions and views on this issue,” he further wrote.
Not interested in Amit Shah’s ‘lecture’: Oppn
Earlier in the day, the Opposition maintained that it is not interested in listening to Amit Shah’s “imagination” or “lecture”, and demanded his resignation.
“Did Mr Amit Shah give the order to shoot the students? If he did, he should resign because he is culpable. And if he did not, he should resign because he is incompetent. For the last 20 days, Amit Shah has been missing. The Home Minister of India has no courage; he cannot come to the House,” said the Congress MP.
Shah meanwhile alleged that the Opposition is not interested in having a discussion. Reacting to the Opposition’s claim, Shah, told media persons outside the Parliament complex: “First of all, terms like ‘laapata’, ‘bhaag gaye’ is the kind of language increasingly being heard in India’s public and parliamentary life. I have been coming to Parliament regularly since the session began; I sit in my chamber, but since the Opposition is not allowing Parliament to function—in either House—what is one supposed to do?”
The Opposition has been demanding that Shah make a statement in the House on who authorised the violent crackdown on protesting students at Jantar Mantar.
Shah further said that as far as holding a discussion is concerned, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has made it “very clear” that the government is ready for a full discussion regarding the NEET protests.
“We asked for a time to be fixed and for the Opposition to be ready. That was their initial demand, and we agreed to it. I, too, have stated that I am ready to answer any question in Parliament, yet they simply do not want the discussion to take place. Now, let the public decide who is running away. Let them submit a letter to the Speaker by 3 pm today. We are ready for a discussion on all aspects from 3:00 PM today until 3 pm tomorrow. I will sit in the House; I will listen to everyone and respond to every point,” said Shah.
He further said that the government has nothing to hide. “I will even discuss why they did not want the discussion to happen. The NDA government—under Modi ji’s leadership is ready to discuss anything; they just need to let Parliament function.”
Speaking to the media earlier, Rahul said: “Kharge ji and I have held press conferences, and the other opposition parties have also made it clear that we are not interested in listening to Amit Shah’s imagination. We are not interested in him giving us a lecture or a discussion. We are interested in one simple thing.”
He added: “And when I say ‘we’, I mean the younger generation of this country: Who shot those students (in Delhi)? Who gave the order to shoot those students? Who blinded one of the students? Who gave the order to beat the students with lathis with nails? Who gave that order? That order was implemented by the Home Ministry.”
The Delhi police and RAF, Rahul said, are under the Home Ministry. “For the last 20 days, Amit Shah has been missing. The Home Minister of India has no courage; he cannot come to the House.”
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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