TMC, Opposition To Raise Student Pellet Gun Allegations During Parliament Session

The Opposition is set to raise allegations of pellet gun use against student protesters during the July 20 police action on the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) ‘Sansad Chalo’ march in Parliament, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) said on Friday. The party demanded accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over claims that security personnel used pellet guns against demonstrators during the protest. TMC deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Sagarika Ghose, alleged that evidence had emerged showing security forces fired pellet guns at unarmed student protesters.

She claimed that the use of such weapons, which can cause serious injuries including vision loss, raised serious concerns about the handling of demonstrations and the treatment of young protesters. “Proof has now emerged that security forces did fire deadly pellet guns, which can result in blindness, on our unarmed and vulnerable children protesting on the streets and demanding an accountable examination system,” Ghose said in a post on social media. The allegations relate to the police action during the CJP’s ‘Sansad Chalo’ march on July 20, where protesters had gathered over demands linked to examination irregularities and accountability in the education system.

The demonstration was part of a wider campaign against alleged paper leaks and concerns raised by students regarding competitive examinations. The TMC said Opposition parties would jointly bring up the issue in Parliament and seek answers from the government. The party argued that the alleged use of force against students required a detailed explanation and demanded that those responsible be held accountable. The government and security agencies have not yet accepted the allegations made by the Opposition regarding pellet gun use.

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Authorities have previously maintained that police actions during protests are carried out to maintain public order and ensure compliance with legal restrictions. Further details regarding the incident are expected to emerge as discussions continue. The controversy comes amid ongoing political tensions over examination-related issues, with Opposition parties targeting the government over alleged failures in ensuring transparency and fairness in the examination process. Student groups and activists have been demanding stronger safeguards against paper leaks and other irregularities.

The issue is likely to add to disruptions in Parliament, where the Opposition has already been pressing the government for discussions on the NEET paper leak controversy and demanding accountability from Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The government has said it is willing to debate the matter while defending the steps being taken to address concerns. As the Opposition prepares to raise the alleged pellet gun incident in Parliament, the focus is expected to remain on the conduct of security forces during protests, the rights of students participating in demonstrations and the government’s response to allegations of excessive force.

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