New Delhi : The Lok Sabha witnessed a stormy session on Wednesday after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of being responsible for the police action against students during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
“The Home Minister ordered the firing on students. Pellets were fired at our students. The responsibility for that action rests with him,” Gandhi said. His statement triggered loud protests from the ruling alliance, prompting Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to accuse the Congress leader of making a serious allegation without proof. Speaker Om Birla also intervened, reminding Gandhi that allegations against individuals cannot be made in the House without substantive evidence.
The controversy stems from the July 20 CJP protest at Jantar Mantar, where demonstrators attempting to march towards Parliament clashed with security personnel. Police used pellet guns, lathi charges, tear gas and other crowd-control measures to disperse the protesters, leaving several students injured. Later, speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Gandhi stood by his remarks, arguing that the Home Minister bore ultimate responsibility for the incident.
During his speech, Gandhi also launched a fresh attack on the RSS, alleging that it exercises control over India’s education system. Dharmendra Pradhan was never really running the Education Ministry. The RSS is the organisation that controls it, Gandhi alleged, accusing the organisation of influencing what students are taught. The Congress leader argued that the student protests were not merely about examination irregularities but reflected wider concerns about the direction of the country’s education system.
At the beginning of his address, Gandhi recounted a conversation with an 18-year-old student, who, according to him, described a student as someone who approaches knowledge with humility and an open mind. He contrasted this with those who believe they already know everything and are unwilling to listen to differing views.
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