Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that country is not interested in Union home minister Amit Shah’s speech “on general topics.” He further emphasised about a statement from Shah over the ‘authorisation’ of firing of pellet guns at students during the agitation led by Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), demanding the resignation of then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Speaking to the media, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Gandhi noted that Shah must answer who authorised the firing of pellet guns on the protesting students.
He said, “Amit Shah does not have the courage to come to the Parliament and stand before us. This is what they have shown in the last 15 days.”
“Neither Narendra Modi nor Amit Shah has the guts…No one is interested in his opinion; 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?” he added.
“The question was never that Mr Amit Shah is going to come and give a speech on some general topics in Parliament. The question was always that Amit Shah has to make it clear who authorised the shooting of our youngsters in Delhi. Pellet guns were fired, students were beaten with lathis with nails on them. He should come clean. 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. This was the discussion,” the Congress leader said.
Govt ready for debate on students’ stir
The government on Monday offered to hold a discussion on student protests in Lok Sabha. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said in the House that Home Minister Amit Shah would respond to the debate.
Speaking about the government’s proposed discussion, Rijiju said, “Rahul Gandhi has been asking for Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s response. Now that we are ready to give a detailed response, Rahul Gandhi is running away. That is why I have said that running away out of fear is not right. He has to face it. I request Rahul Gandhi not to run away.”
Demand for debate over students’ protests
The Monsoon session began on July 20, and since then there have been repeated adjournments. The Opposition has been demanding a statement from home minister Shah over the police action against protesting students in New Delhi last month.
The student protest was led by the CJP at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. The agitation came to an end on July 25 following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister.