New Delhi, July 26: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha on Sunday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking accountability of the “barbaric assault” on students during July 20 protest and asked did he approve the use of lethal force including pellet guns against students and if it was not him, then who did.
Rahul Gandhi’s letter to the Union Home Minister came a day after he held him responsible for the police excesses on students, while addressing the media following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In his letter to Shah, the Congress leader said, “Our students were demanding a fair and accountable education system. Instead of being heard, security forces assaulted them with indiscriminate force, including lethal weapons and tear gas. Hundreds have suffered serious injuries. Women students have been assaulted by policemen, including by deliberately targeting their private parts.”
The Gandhi scion also pointed out that most shocking has been the use of “lethal pellet guns”.
He said that reports in the media and social media clearly show people who have suffered grave injuries, including a journalist.
Highlighting his meeting with a Delhi University student, who had suffered pellet gun injury, whom he brought in front of the media on Friday, Rahul Gandhi said, “I met 19-year old student Sahil Lochab, who is now in severe pain is likely to lose an eye because he was shot with pellet guns.”
The Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli said that security forces deployed in Delhi answer ultimately to you.
During salvos at Shah, Rahul Gandhi said, “So I ask, as Home Minister, did you approve the use of lethal force including pellet guns against students? If not, who did? Are the people in plain clothes seen beating students with lathis police personnel or volunteers? Who authorized their deployment?”
He asserted that peaceful protest is crucial to any democracy.
“It is the government’s responsibility to protect protestors and resolve their grievances through dialogue. Such brutal violence destroys every norm, and has outraged the country. Youth and students, the future of our country, are demanding answers and accountability. Their voice will be heard,” he added.
On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi while responding to the ITV Network question had said that “we hold Amit Shah directly responsible for the violence that has taken place against our students”.
“He authorised the police action against students, he authorised the use of.lethal weapons against our students, pellet guns on students. That for us is a fundamental issue. We will not accept our own forces shooting the future of India. That is going to be a major issue in Parliament,” he said.
Continuing his attack on the government, he also added that students have also got a demand of apology from the Prime Minister.
