Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of being directly responsible for the police crackdown on student protesters in Delhi, alleging that excessive force, including the use of pellet guns, was authorised against demonstrators. He said the Congress would raise the issue prominently during the upcoming Parliament session.
Addressing a press conference, Gandhi claimed the action against students represented an attack on India’s future and demanded accountability for those responsible. He also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise to the protesting students, saying the government had failed to address their concerns.
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Gandhi argued that the protests were driven by deeper structural problems, including what he described as the collapse of India’s education, employment, institutional and media systems. According to him, these failures could have serious consequences, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty.
Calling the protests a warning to the government, Gandhi said the Centre could not continue to run the country as its “personal fiefdom” and urged it to listen to the voices of students and citizens. He cautioned that ignoring public grievances could lead to larger protests in the future.
The Congress MP also demanded visible legal action against those who allegedly assaulted protesters during the demonstrations. Referring to former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as a symbol of corruption, incompetence and the decline of the education system, Gandhi said his resignation alone would not resolve the crisis and called for comprehensive reforms.
He further criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing it of influencing India’s education system and sharing responsibility for its current state.
Gandhi’s remarks came hours after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Union Cabinet amid weeks of nationwide protests over alleged examination irregularities. The agitation, led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and activist Sonam Wangchuk, culminated in demonstrations in Delhi, where police used lathi charges and tear gas to disperse protesters during the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march.
