StudentsProtest – Rahul Gandhi Seeks Supreme Court-Monitored Inquiry Into Police Action
StudentsProtest –Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday called for an independent, Supreme Court-monitored high-powered committee to investigate the alleged use of force against students during recent protests across the country. He said students deserved justice and urged an impartial inquiry into what he described as serious instances of police excess.
Rahul Gandhi Demands Independent Investigation
Sharing a video on X that purportedly showed police using batons against student protesters, Gandhi argued that an independent panel under the supervision of the Supreme Court should examine the events. His remarks referred to the security forces’ response during the July 20 protest march to Parliament led by the Cockroach Janta Party, as well as actions taken against student demonstrators in other locations.
According to Gandhi, a transparent investigation is necessary to establish accountability and ensure that concerns raised by students are addressed through due process. He maintained that the issue extends beyond politics and involves the protection of democratic rights.
Questions Raised Over Home Minister’s Absence
The Congress leader also criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah for not addressing the matter in Parliament. Gandhi questioned why the Home Minister had not responded to allegations related to the police action and suggested that his absence from the debate reflected reluctance to explain the government’s position.
In a post on X, Gandhi stated that Shah’s absence “reeks of guilt” and challenged him to appear before Parliament to clarify the government’s role in the incidents involving student protesters.
Congress Intensifies Pressure on Government
A day earlier, Gandhi had demanded Shah’s resignation, alleging that he was responsible for what he called a “brutal attack” on students. He also reiterated his demand for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into allegations that pellet guns were used during the protests.
The former Congress president argued that if the Home Minister had authorized such actions, he should be held accountable. He further claimed that if Shah had been unaware of the reported use of pellet guns, it would reflect administrative failure. These remarks formed part of the Congress party’s broader criticism of the government’s handling of the demonstrations.
BJP Rejects Allegations
The Bharatiya Janata Party strongly rejected Gandhi’s accusations, describing them as baseless and politically motivated. BJP leaders accused the Congress MP of making false claims both inside and outside Parliament and demanded that he apologize for what they called the misuse of parliamentary proceedings to level unsupported allegations.
The ruling party maintained that Gandhi’s statements lacked evidence and insisted that the government’s actions were being misrepresented for political purposes.
Heated Exchanges Inside Parliament
The controversy intensified during a Lok Sabha debate on legislation proposing stricter punishment for paper leak offences. While participating in the discussion, Gandhi accused Shah of being responsible for alleged police excesses against student protesters, prompting strong protests from treasury bench members.
The exchanges led to significant disruptions in the House. Following the debate, the Speaker ordered several of Gandhi’s remarks to be expunged from the official parliamentary record. Despite this, the Congress leader repeated his allegations while speaking to the media outside Parliament, keeping the issue at the forefront of the political debate.
The disagreement between the Congress and the BJP has further sharpened the political divide over the government’s handling of recent student protests. As both sides continue to exchange allegations, the demand for an independent investigation remains a key point of contention.