Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday, stepped up his attack on the government over the police action during the recent CJP protests in Delhi, and demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah clarify who authorised the use of force and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise over the incidents.
He put forward three demands—clarification from Shah over pellet firings, apology from PM Modi and answers over alleged “Ram temple theft.” Gandhi said the Opposition was not looking for a general statement from Shah but a specific answer on who authorised the action against protesters.
“We just want to know who ordered the firing, and if he did not order it, then who in MHA ordered it? We want to understand: is there culpability or incompetence?” Gandhi said.
The Congress leader alleged that pellet guns were fired and students were beaten with lathis. He said Shah must clarify whether he had authorised the action.
“Did he order it or did he not order it? If he ordered it, he is guilty of getting our children shot. And if he didn't know about it happening, he's incompetent. Either way, he should go,” Gandhi said.
He also demanded an apology from PM Modi over the incident and raised the alleged “Ram temple theft”, claiming that people close to Modi had stolen from the Ram Mandir.
“These are the three issues,” Gandhi said, adding that the Opposition had been raising them for the past 15 days.
Union minister J.P. Nadda rejected Gandhi's allegation that bullets had been fired at Jantar Mantar and challenged him to participate in a debate in Parliament.
“I once again challenge Rahul Gandhi: Come to the House. We are ready for a discussion, and you will receive a befitting reply,” Nadda said.
“Do not spread misinformation; no bullets were fired at Jantar Mantar, nor were any orders given to open fire there,” he added.
Nadda accused Gandhi of repeatedly “shifting the goalposts”, saying he had initially sought a discussion on NEET, then raised the Ram Mandir Trust issue and later demanded a statement from the home minister on the Jantar Mantar incident.
“Today, when it was decided that the Jantar Mantar issue would indeed be discussed, he began misleading the people and the country by claiming that shots were fired at Jantar Mantar, when, in fact, no such incident occurred. The home minister is ready to answer every question. Our stance has always been simple: let the House function. If the House runs, we are prepared to answer on every issue, just as we always have.”
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government and Shah were ready for a detailed discussion, and accused Gandhi of “running away” after demanding a response from the home minister.
“The home minister is ready to discuss and respond for as long as the Congress desires,” Rijiju said, adding that the government was prepared for a debate whenever the Speaker scheduled it.
Both ministers also targeted Gandhi over police action against protesting job aspirants in Jharkhand, where the Congress is part of the Hemant Soren government.
“Does he not hear the voices of the students in Jharkhand today? My information says that barbed wire fences were erected there at his behest; they are effectively running the government there, as they are an integral part of it. Do they not hear the students' voices there?,” asked Nadda.
Gandhi, however, condemned the use of force in Jharkhand as well, saying peaceful protesters had a right to demonstrate.
“We condemn any violence against peacefully protesting students,” he said, calling on the Jharkhand government to hear the protesters and resolve their concerns.
