Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday slammed the Congress and other opposition parties for not speaking on the anti-paper leak bill, saying the discussion should have focused on its merits.After six days of stalemate, a discussion on the anti-paper leak bill began on Tuesday in the Lok Sabha with the government describing it as a reaffirmation of the ruling dispensation’s commitment to safeguard the welfare of students.The opposition hit back over the lathi-charge on protesters, saying every blow on them hurt the government’s prestige more than the backs of the youth.Initiating the debate on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Union Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh said the Narendra Modi government finished an unaccomplished task to bring a law to prevent examination malpractices in 2024.Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Rijiju said the discussion should have been on the merits of the Bill but the opposition failed to speak on its provisions.”Discussion is taking place on the Bill but nobody has spoken about the Bill itself. They were only indulging in politics. Everyone was making political speeches. This is not right.”When a Bill is discussed, people should speak about its provisions on merit. They should debate the procedures and the stringent legal measures it brings to prevent examination-related irregularities. Such a discussion would be beneficial,” he said.Rijiju claimed that while the BJP and NDA MPs spoke on the Bill, members of the Congress and other opposition parties did not.”I listened carefully. All the BJP and NDA MPs spoke about the Bill. But none of the Congress or opposition members spoke about the Bill,” he said.Asked about Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s remarks that the Bill did not contain constructive measures to safeguard the interests of the youth, Rijiju said if the opposition had spoken on the Bill, it would have understood its importance.”If they are not discussing the Bill, what answer can we give? Tell me, should Parliament continue for so long without discussing the legislation?” he said.”They can offer constructive suggestions and criticism. They are free to make suggestions. If there are shortcomings in the Bill, then point them out,” Rijiju added.