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New Delhi : Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking accountability for the police action during the July 20 student protest in Delhi. Describing the incident as a “barbaric assault,” Gandhi alleged that excessive force was used against peaceful demonstrators and called for a transparent investigation into the crackdown.
The letter comes days after the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, following weeks of nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.
In his letter, Gandhi alleged that security personnel used tear gas, pellet guns and other force-control measures against students participating in the “Sansad Chalo” march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and supported by activist Sonam Wangchuk. Holding the Union Home Ministry responsible for the handling of the protest, he questioned whether the use of pellet guns had been officially authorised.
“We hold Amit Shah directly responsible for the violence that has taken place against our students,” Rahul Gandhi said while addressing the media.
He sought answers from the Home Minister on whether the use of pellet guns and other crowd-control measures had been approved and who authorised individuals in plain clothes, allegedly seen using batons during the protest. Gandhi also referred to reports that several students were injured during the police action, including a 19-year-old protester who reportedly suffered serious eye injuries.
Stressing that peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right, Gandhi said governments should engage with public grievances through dialogue rather than force. He alleged that the police response violated democratic norms and urged the Centre to fix accountability for those responsible. The Congress leader also reiterated his demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise to students over the handling of the protests.
Rahul Gandhi said the issue would be raised prominently during the upcoming Parliament session, where Opposition parties are expected to seek a discussion on the crowd-control measures used during the July 20 protest and demand an independent review of the incident. The controversy is likely to remain a key political issue as Parliament prepares to reconvene.
