3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 28, 2026 06:46 PM IST
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the BJP for assigning the Education Ministry to Pralhad Joshi, calling him the “defender of rapists.” While speaking to the media outside the Parliament, Gandhi called Joshi “the most filthy type of man”, saying that appointing him as the Education Minister was a “strange reaction” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Gandhi said, “After the young people protested against the education system, after so many girls were beaten up during the protests, BJP puts up a man who is the defender of rapists. That is the most filthy type of man. There can be no filthier man than somebody who says that rapists need protection.”
“That is the Education Minister of India today. It’s a strange reaction from the PM, that there are so many people in his cabinet, he could have chosen anyone of them. But he chooses a person who protects rapists. Quite amazing,” the Congress MP said.
#WATCH | Delhi: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, “Education Minister of India – the BJP puts a man who is a defender of rapists. That is the most filthy type of man. There can be no flithier man than somebody who says that rapists need protection. That is the Education Minister… pic.twitter.com/7YXzD79lIR
— ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2026
Pralhad Joshi’s remarks on Bilkis Bano gangrape case
Rahul Gandhi’s statements refer to a remark made by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi after the premature release of the 11 men convicted in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case. Joshi had defended the release of the 11 convicts, saying it was done “as per the legal provision”.
Speaking to The Indian Express over phone in 2022, Joshi had said, “Whatever is done is as per the legal provision. After one spends required time in jail, there is a provision to get free. In this case, that provision, which is absolutely legal, has been done.”
Joshi was the first senior BJP leader to publicly defend the decision to release the 11 convicts, a move which sparked massive public and political backlash. The release of the convicts was later quashed by the Supreme Court, calling it an abuse of discretion.
Leadership change in Education Ministry
Pralhad Joshi was given charge of the Education Ministry on Saturday, hours after Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation from the post to the Prime Minister.
Pradhan’s resignation came after a month-long agitation by the Cockroach Janta Party over the NEET paper leak and the eventual to a crackdown on the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march. CJP had put forward multiple demands for the central government over the paper leak, including Pradhan’s resignation and reforms in the education policy.
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The central government delegation, including Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitdendra Singh, held multiple rounds of talks with the CJP spokespersons, after which the protest at Jantar Mantar was called off.