Monsoon Session 2026: Rahul Gandhi Backs NEET-UG 2026 Protesters, Says 'Every Indian Should Be Proud of Our Youth'

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, praised the recent protests against the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, saying, "Every Indian should be proud of what our youth did," during a heated Monsoon Parliament session on Wednesday after nearly a week of disruptions.

Participating in the discussion on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Rahul said the nationwide protests reflected students' concerns and aspirations for the future.

Rahul Gandhi said he was inspired and reassured by the way young people expressed themselves on the streets, calling the nationwide student protests a powerful reflection of the aspirations of India's youth. He added that every political party should listen to their voices.

"This was not rage, violence, or hatred," Rahul Gandhi said. "I think all political parties, including my friends in the BJP, should respect this expression because it was a profound expression of this country's youth and future generation."

He further said, "In fact, I'm fairly certain and I've seen instances of it that if my BJP friends went and asked their own children how they felt about what their peers were doing, they would find broad agreement."

He added, "Every Indian should be proud because there is nothing wrong with what happened."

Rahul explains who he calls a 'student'

Recalling his interaction with students protesting at Jantar Mantar, Rahul Gandhi shared a conversation he had with a young woman about what it means to be a student.

"You told me that you are a student. What does that mean?" Rahul recalled asking her.

He said she replied, 

“A student is someone who has an open mind and an open heart. A student is someone who begins by accepting that they do not know everything. A student understands that what they know today may be replaced by new knowledge tomorrow. A student recognises that knowledge is always evolving because the universe is dynamic, ever-changing, and constantly in motion.”

He then quoted her as saying, 

"There is another category of people; they are not students. They are absolutely convinced that they know everything. They believe knowledge comes from within themselves and that the universe is static. They are arrogant. They do not respect other people's truths, and they do not listen."

Rahul added, "She said, 'I call them idiots.'"

Three categories: Students, idiots, and 'andh-bhakts'

The Congress leader further said, "There are three categories: students, idiots, and andh-bhakts... andh-bhakts are those who follow the idiots."

Explaining the term, Rahul said, "An andh-bhakt is a person who considers another person to be God."

He also criticised the education system, saying it had become increasingly expensive and commercialised. "The education system is very expensive. More money is spent on one exam than the government spends on the entire education budget," he claimed. Rahul added that students were frustrated because they were not allowed to pursue their passions or ask the questions they wanted to ask.

The debate took place amid continued disruptions in Parliament over the NEET-UG paper leak, police action against student protesters, and the government's proposed amendments to the anti-paper leak law.