Gandhi Tells Shah: 'You Will Have to Answer' for Police Action on Students
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of maintaining silence over the recent police action against students protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, and said the BJP leader would have to answer for what he called "this crime".
Speaking at his "Chhatron ki Goonj" event in Prayagraj a day earlier, Mr. Gandhi said a student had told him, "Now I have no option left." In a post on X on Sunday, Mr. Gandhi said the student's words highlighted the failure of a system that refused to reward hard work. "Years of preparation, selling the family land, parents burdened with debt and yet, nothing to show for it," he wrote in Hindi.
The student protests were sparked by allegations of paper leaks in competitive examinations, including NEET and UGC-NET, which led to cancellations and re-exams in several states. Thousands of students gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, and their agitation continued for days before being called off. On July 20, Delhi Police used batons and water cannons to disperse the crowd, an action that drew sharp criticism from opposition parties.
Mr. Gandhi said that even after the protest was called off, Mr. Shah had not made any statement about the Delhi Police's action. "Instead of apologising, Modiji is busy dispensing 'forgiveness'," he said, in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent remarks on the issue.
"Amit Shahji, do not think for a moment that we will stop demanding accountability. Batons and pellets were used against young people on the streets of the capital -- and you did not utter a single word. Sooner or later, you will have to answer for this crime," Mr. Gandhi said in the post.
The Congress leader asserted that students are the light of the nation and said he stands with them "with all his might". He also greeted members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on its foundation day, praising the organisation for amplifying young voices.
The police action has become a major flashpoint in Parliament. Opposition parties, led by the Congress, have been demanding that Mr. Shah make a statement in both Houses over the incident. However, the government has countered that the Opposition cannot dictate which minister should respond to their queries.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised Mr. Shah last week for not making a statement in Parliament, noting that Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan had suggested the Home Minister should speak. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, meanwhile, told the Lok Sabha on Friday that the government has been answering questions appropriately and that no minister can be forced to respond on a specific issue.
The Delhi Police has defended its action, saying it was necessary to maintain public order and that the protesters were asked to move to an alternative location. Several student organisations have denied provoking the police, insisting their demonstration was peaceful.
With both Houses repeatedly disrupted, most legislative business has been conducted amid din. The deadlock shows no sign of resolution, as the Opposition insists on a statement from the Home Minister and the government maintains its position that the matter was handled by the Delhi Police administration.
