Amit Shah Requests Debate as Opposition Protests NEET Police Action

The Lok Sabha faced a deadlock on August 12, 2026, as Opposition MPs staged relentless protests and sloganeering over police action against NEET protesters on July 20. The Opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi, demanded a formal statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding allegations of police brutality and the use of pellet guns during demonstrations near Jantar Mantar.

In response to the impasse, Amit Shah wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla requesting the immediate allocation of time for a parliamentary discussion. Shah stated he is prepared to answer all questions from the opposition, noting that the government remains ready to discuss the issue. However, Rahul Gandhi rejected the offer, characterizing a potential discussion as a lecture and demanding to know who ordered the police to beat students with lathis.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized the Opposition for refusing to participate in the debate, accusing them of running away from the discussion to promote a personal agenda. Despite the political deadlock, the Lok Sabha passed two pieces of legislation via voice vote: the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, which proposes renaming the state to Keralam.