Priyanka Gandhi targets new education minister Pralhad Joshi in Lok Sabha; BJP demands apology

New Delhi: A war of words broke out in the Lok Sabha on Monday after Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a sharp attack on newly appointed Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi during a debate in Parliament.

Addressing the House, Priyanka Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to appoint Joshi as Education Minister. She alleged that the appointment sent a negative message to women across the country and questioned the government’s commitment to women’s safety and rights.

Her remarks drew immediate objections from Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who described the statements as “character assassination” and said they were unbecoming of a senior parliamentarian. Rijiju urged the Chair to expunge the remarks from the parliamentary record and said Priyanka Gandhi should apologise if she was unable to uphold the dignity of the House.

Pralhad Joshi also strongly rejected the allegations, stating that Priyanka Gandhi should have verified the facts before making such claims. Calling the allegations “false information”, the minister demanded that she apologise for her remarks and urged strict action against those spreading misinformation. He also called for appropriate action by Parliament over what he described as baseless allegations.

During her speech, Priyanka Gandhi also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a social media post made amid student protests. Referring to an Instagram reel posted by the Prime Minister, she remarked that changing camera angles would not solve the issue and suggested that the government should instead change its approach to addressing public concerns.

The exchange led to a brief disruption in the House, with members from both the treasury and opposition benches engaging in a heated verbal confrontation over the remarks and the government’s response.