'Order for firing rests with magistrate, not with minister': Jitendra Singh rejects Rahul's allegations against Amit Shah

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said in Lok Sabha that no bullet was fired on students protesting in the national capital against the NEET fiasco as he dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had ordered firing on students.

Replying to the debate on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, the minister for state for PMO said the authority to issue order for firing rests with the magistrate, not with a minister and Gandhi lacked experience in public life and hence has levelled such allegations.

He said Gandhi alleged that the home minister has ordered firing on protesters in Delhi but was not able to authenticate that allegation.

"The first and fundamental point is he should know that when no shots were fired in the first place, the question of giving an order does not arise at all. (Jab goli chali hee nahi, toh aadesh dene ka sawal hee paida nai hota)," Singh said, dismissing the allegations levelled by the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha.

He said the authority to issue such an order rests with the magistrate, not with a minister.

"No bullet was fired, only tear gas was used," Singh said, strongly defending Shah.

On Gandhi's allegations that Shah's cavalcade has 30 vehicles, Singh again rejected the suggestion and took a dig at him saying the leader of the opposition does not even know the counting.

On Gandhi's remarks that the home minister had gone on foreign travel, the minister said Gandhi should know that Shah has never visited a foreign country.

"So without facts, and without a sense of responsibility, saying something in the House and then leaving the House, cannot be the behaviour of a responsible leader of opposition," he said.

Earlier, Gandhi alleged that Shah had authorised police excesses against student protesters, triggering a massive uproar in Lok Sabha during the debate on the bill.

"The home minister is not here today because he is scared," Gandhi said, drawing objections from the treasury benches.

The home minister "authorised" violent action against students, the Congress leader alleged, referring to the crackdown by security forces during the march to Parliament on July 20 during the CJP-led protest on the NEET paper leak issue.

Speaker Om Birla immediately intervened, saying the discussion was not on the Home Minister.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objected to Gandhi's remarks and asked him to clarify the basis of his allegations and apologise.