Rijiju Says Amit Shah Ready To Explain Delhi Police Action Against Protesters In Parliament
Rijiju says Amit Shah will address police action.
The government is ready to hold a detailed discussion in Parliament on the student protests and the police action against demonstrators, including allegations of the use of pellet guns in Delhi and AK-47s in Bihar, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Monday. His remarks came after the Opposition repeatedly demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah address Parliament and respond to concerns over the handling of protests linked to alleged examination irregularities. Rijiju said the government had agreed to discuss all issues connected with the students' movement but urged Opposition parties not to disrupt proceedings when the Home Minister or the government responds.
"The offer made by the government is very clear that it is ready to have a full and detailed discussion on students' movement and activities related to it," he said. He added that the Opposition, including the Congress, should allow the Home Minister to make his statement and listen to the government's response without creating a disturbance in the House. The government's position comes after sustained demands from the Opposition for Shah to appear in Parliament and explain the police response to protesters. The demonstrations have become a major political issue amid allegations of irregularities in examinations.
Opposition parties have sought answers over the use of force against students and have questioned whether the government took adequate steps to investigate the alleged incidents. The issue was also raised by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in a column published in The Hindu titled "Either Culpable or Incompetent". Gandhi alleged that Shah had neither ordered an inquiry nor issued a statement regarding the police action against protesting students. He also criticised the government's handling of Opposition notices seeking a parliamentary discussion, arguing that the Home Minister had declined to come before the House. Gandhi specifically alleged that students protesting in Delhi were subjected to tear gas, baton charges and pellet-gun firing.
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He also referred to the alleged use of an AK-47 in Bihar's Siwan during protests, describing the police response as a "brutal assault" on young protesters. The allegations have become a central point of contention between the government and Opposition, with the latter seeking accountability for the use of force. Rijiju's latest statement indicates that the government is prepared to address these allegations through a parliamentary discussion, while maintaining that the proceedings must be allowed to take place without disruption. The minister did not indicate whether Shah would make a separate statement before the discussion or provide further details about the government's response to the allegations.
The issue is expected to remain contentious as Parliament considers the Opposition's demands and the government's offer of a broader discussion. The proposed discussion could provide an opportunity for the government to respond to questions surrounding the police action and for the Opposition to present its allegations regarding the treatment of students. It could also put the spotlight on the government's position on examination-related grievances and the mechanisms being used to address them. Whether the two sides can reach an agreement on the terms and timing of the discussion will determine how the issue progresses in Parliament.
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