A parliamentary debate erupted between Union Minister JP Nadda and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over police action against protesting students at Jantar Mantar. Kharge condemned the lathi-charging and demanded accountability, while Nadda defended the police's law and order role and noted that student activists should be prepared for such situations.

A parliamentary debate erupted between Union Minister JP Nadda and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over police action against protesting students at Jantar Mantar. Kharge condemned the lathi-charging and demanded accountability, while Nadda defended the police's law and order role and noted that student activists should be prepared for such situations.

A parliamentary debate erupted between Union Minister JP Nadda and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over police action against protesting students at Jantar Mantar. Kharge condemned the lathi-charging and demanded accountability, while Nadda defended the police's law and order role and noted that student activists should be prepared for such situations.

A heated debate broke out between Union Minister JP Nadda and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge during the monsoon session of Parliament on Wednesday when the discussion turned to the police action against protesting students at the Jantar Mantar.

Kharge criticised the central government for lathi-charging protesting students and demanded strict action against those responsible. "I request you, people who have gone there unauthorised, they should be punished. Why have they gone? Who are they? Who ordered them? Who ordered?" he asked.

CPI(M) MP John Brittas then raised the issue of a police raid at one of its party offices.

On Tuesday, a Delhi police team attempted to take CPM Student Wing SFI's Delhi Secretary and former JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh into custody from the party's AKG Bhavan office for an older case. The attempt led to an argument between the police and the CPM leaders, after which the police team left AKG Bhavan without Aishe Ghosh.

Brittas stated that her only alleged offence was participation in a student protest at Jantar Mantar.

Mallikarjun Kharge then added that it was “very shameful that police barge into a national party office and try to arrest a leader.” Opposition members continued sloganeering and pressed for action against the police personnel.

Responding to both the allegations, Nadda defended the police action and said that the police were trying to maintain law and order.

He also said that students who want to engage in action should be prepared for such punishment.

"It was a very normal law and order situation that we have to understand. Police acted to maintain the order," Nadda said in the Rajya Sabha. He added that "any student who is into activism will have to face such a situation."

The minister then went on to talk about the Emergency and said that he too was arrested several times when he was a student activist. "I have been a student activist, and I was arrested several times from the classroom during the Emergency under Congress rule," he pointed out.

Nadda asserted that the "police acted according to the law and order situation", and the opposition should not politicise it.

"The Opposition is trying to sensationalise and politicise a law and order activity by the police," Nadda said

His reply triggered an uproar amongst the opposition.  The Chairman later adjourned the House till noon.

CJP and student protestors at the Jantar Mantar were lathi-charged by police, who also used tear gas shells on the Sansad Chalo march to the Parliament on July 20.

The 37 protests ended after the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and reassurances by the centre that the protestors' demands would be met.

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