New Delhi: The Congress-led Opposition is set to keep the pressure on the government in Parliament over the alleged police brutality against protesting students, demanding action against those responsible for the assault and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said on Sunday.
However, the Opposition’s floor strategy and its stand on the bill to amend the two-year-old anti-paper leak law will be finalised at the INDIA bloc meeting in Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s chamber in Parliament on Monday morning, they said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking accountability for the “barbaric assault” on peacefully protesting students and asking whether he approved the use of “lethal force”, including pellet guns.
In his letter, Gandhi said peaceful protest is crucial to any democracy, and 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,” the former Congress chief said.
Sharing the letter, Congress general secretary, in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh said Gandhi had posed two questions to Shah: “As the Home Minister, did you authorise the use of lethal force, including pellet guns, against students? If not, who granted this authorisation? Are the individuals seen raining blows on students while dressed in plainclothes, police personnel or volunteers? Who authorised their deployment?”
The Home Minister must answer these crucial questions in Parliament tomorrow. The Prime Minister should apologise to the students,” Ramesh said in his post in Hindi.
The Congress has described Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as a victory for students but asserted that the Prime Minister must also apologise to the students.
Kharge has said it was now Modi’s turn to apologise and take strict action against all those who used lathis, batons and pellet guns against the agitating students.
