Rahul Gandhi's Fiery Condemnation: "Defender of Rapists" Appointed Education Minister, Congress Alleges

In a powerful and unequivocal condemnation that sent ripples through India's political landscape, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi didn't mince words on July 28, 2026. He launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to appoint Pralhad Joshi as the new Union Education Minister, going as far as to label Joshi a "defender of rapists" and "the most filthy type of man." It was a truly sharp denouncement, putting the newly appointed minister right into the eye of a political storm from the get-go.

But why such incredibly strong language, you might ask? The heart of the controversy, it appears, lies squarely in Joshi's purported remarks and his alleged defense of the Gujarat government's contentious 2022 decision. Back then, the state government had granted remission to 11 men who were convicted in the utterly horrific Bilkis Bano gang rape and murder case. This act, of course, sparked widespread outrage across the nation, and it seems the Congress party hasn't forgotten.

Let's briefly revisit the chilling facts of the Bilkis Bano case. It's a truly dark chapter from the 2002 Gujarat riots. On March 3, 2002, Bilkis Bano, a young woman who was then just 21 and five months pregnant, endured a brutal gang rape. To compound the tragedy, seven members of her family, including her precious three-year-old daughter, were savagely murdered near Randhikpur village in Gujarat's Dahod district. The Supreme Court, recognizing the need for an impartial process, eventually transferred the investigation to the CBI and later shifted the trial out of Gujarat to Maharashtra, where a special CBI court in Mumbai handled the proceedings.

The accusations against Joshi didn't stop with Rahul Gandhi. His sister, Congress general secretary and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, echoed these serious allegations later that same day in the Lok Sabha. During a heated debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, she too pointed fingers at Pralhad Joshi, referring to his apparent defense of the Bilkis Bano convicts. Naturally, Joshi didn't take kindly to these remarks, promptly objecting and calling them misinformation. He even requested that Vadra authenticate her claims, adding another layer to the already charged atmosphere in Parliament.

It's worth noting that this appointment comes at a particularly sensitive time for the education sector. The previous Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, had resigned following significant protests and public outcry over the NEET UG 2026 paper leak. Against this backdrop, the elevation of Pralhad Joshi, and the immediate, vociferous objections raised by the Congress leadership, underscore a deeply polarized political environment. The controversy surrounding his past comments on such a sensitive and grave issue like the Bilkis Bano case is clearly shaping up to be a major talking point, perhaps overshadowing the very reforms he's now tasked with overseeing.