Priyanka Gandhi slams Centre over student crackdown, Pradhan’s felicitation during anti-paper leak Bill debate
Priyanka targeted the government over the police brutality against students during the July 20 "Sansad March".
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday came under fire from the BJP over her “gau mutra expert” jibe at IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti, a member of the Nandan Nilekani-led task force constituted by the Centre to reform India’s examination system.
Participating in the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Priyanka questioned the expertise of the task force members.
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“The present committee has an ex-Intelligence Bureau chief (Tapan Deka), an IT company owner (Nandan Nilekani), and a ‘gau mutra expert’ (Kamakoti). What do they know about education?” she asked.
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The “gau mutra expert” jibe was aimed at IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti, who had purportedly claimed that gau mutra (cow urine) had antibacterial and digestive properties.
His 2025 remarks had drawn sharp criticism from both the scientific community and the Opposition.
However, the ruling BJP took strong exception to Priyanka’s remarks, with BJP MP Anurag Thakur suggesting that she consume “gau mutra”.
“I am saddened by the remarks she made about one of India’s great scientists and professors, IIT Madras professor V. Kamakoti ji. He is our former chairman of the Advisory Intelligence Task Force. If he is associated with the RSS, there is nothing wrong with that… You should also join the RSS; you will learn some values and start thinking about the country…,” BJP MP Anurag Thakur said.
He further added, “I thought Priyanka Gandhi ji would be better than Rahul Gandhi ji and would be slightly better than her brother. At least, she used to smile. But after the remarks she made today about the IIT Madras Director, I feel that the brother and sister are alike; they are on the same path, and perhaps they are consuming something that affects the proper functioning of the brain. Maybe they should consume cow urine instead.”
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also reacted strongly, accusing the Congress leader of “insulting the scientific community”.
He said that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s referring to IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti as a “gau mutra expert” shows her “feudal, dynastic arrogance.”
Priyanka’s remarks were perceived by several right-wing supporters as anti-Hindu, with many accusing the Congress leader of hurting the sentiments of the majority community.
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