NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation over alleged police “brutalities” against student protesters, while claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public image had been “destroyed” and could not be rebuilt.
In an article published in The Hindu, the former Congress president said thousands of young people across the country had come together on July 20 to demand accountability over the education system and alleged paper leaks.
Gandhi said the protesters represented people from different castes, classes, regions and religions and were exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest.
According to Gandhi, the government responded with what he described as a “brutal assault”, alleging that protesters were subjected to tear gas, baton charges and pellet firing.
He cited the case of 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, whom he said he had met earlier, claiming that hundreds of lead pellets were lodged in the youth’s body and that one pellet had struck his eye, potentially affecting his vision.
Gandhi also alleged that young women and minors were assaulted during the protests and claimed that student protesters in Bihar’s Siwan were fired upon with firearms, including an AK-47. These allegations could not be independently verified from the information available.
Questioning who authorised the alleged use of force, Gandhi said the responsibility ultimately rested with the Union Home Minister as the Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) report to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He presented two possibilities, saying either Shah had authorised the action, making him responsible, or was unaware of it, which, according to Gandhi, would amount to incompetence.
“Either way, as Home Minister, what happened on that day is his responsibility, and he must resign,” Gandhi said.
He further criticised Shah for not ordering an inquiry or issuing a statement on the alleged incidents, and accused the government of avoiding a discussion on the matter in Parliament.
Gandhi also alleged that the BJP’s “online trolls” had threatened young women protesters and their families, while claiming that the government had used its communication machinery to counter criticism over the protests.
Referring to Prime Minister Modi’s reported remarks to the protesting youth, Gandhi questioned the idea of the prime minister “forgiving” citizens for exercising their right to express themselves.
“Since Prime Minister Modi is clearly so out of touch, let me warn him – young people across the country have awakened. His image is destroyed and can never be rebuilt,” Gandhi said.
He asserted that the youth would not allow Modi, Shah or any government official to escape accountability for their actions.
“We in the Opposition stand with the youth. We will not allow these crimes to pass unpunished,” he said.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, sharing Gandhi’s article on X, backed the demand for Shah’s resignation and accused the Union Home Minister of failing to address the concerns surrounding the alleged police action.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also shared Gandhi’s article and said the Leader of Opposition had raised the voice of the country’s youth.
The remarks came a day after Gandhi questioned Shah’s silence over the alleged police action against student protesters and said the Home Minister would eventually have to answer for what he described as a “crime”.
Both Houses of Parliament have remained deadlocked over the Opposition’s demand for a statement from Shah on the alleged police action during the July 20 student protest over the paper-leak issue. Despite the disruption, much of the legislative business has continued amid sloganeering and protests
