Rahul writes to Amit Shah on excesses against NEET protestors

metro india news  I New Delhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking accountability, while Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose has moved a notice for the suspension of the day's business to take up the issue of "grave national importance" on Monday. INDIA bloc parties are set to press for an urgent discussion in Parliament on the alleged use of excessive force against students protesting the NEET paper leak.

While the Centre is scheduled to introduce a Bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday to strengthen the anti-paper leak law, and the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has called off its agitation following the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the government's acceptance of its other demands, the Congress and other Opposition parties are in no mood to relent.

They are expected to demand answers from the government in both Houses over allegations of pellet gun use, the deployment of men in plain clothes during the July 20 protest, and the injuries suffered by several students.

The Congress leader alleged that hundreds of students were injured during the police action and claimed that women protesters were assaulted by police personnel.

Referring to 19-year-old student Sahil Lochab, whom he met on Friday, Gandhi said the student was likely to lose vision in one eye after allegedly being hit by pellets during the July 20 protest. Gandhi also sought to know whether the men in plain clothes seen beating students with lathis were police personnel or volunteers, and who had authorised their deployment, saying "the country is demanding answers."

He asserted that peaceful protest was integral to democracy and that it was the government's responsibility to protect protesters and address their grievances through dialogue. Separately, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader Sagarika Ghose submitted a notice under Rule 267 seeking the suspension of the day's business in the Rajya Sabha on Monday to allow an immediate discussion on what she described as the "use of excessive force on student protesters during NEET examination protests."

Calling it a matter of grave national importance, Ghose said the right to peaceful protest was a constitutional right, but student protesters had allegedly been subjected to "lethal and semi-lethal force" by security agencies.

Her notice referred to reports of pellet gun injuries, "including the possible loss of vision of one student due to the use of a pellet gun by the Rapid Action Force," and sought answers on who authorised the use of such weapons and what protocols were followed.

It also referred to eyewitness accounts alleging that individuals in plain clothes used coercive and violent methods against students.

A senior Opposition leader said Pradhan's resignation did not mark the end of the issue.

"Pradhan's resignation is not the full stop; it is only a semicolon. The Prime Minister should apologise to the students, while the Home Minister must explain where the pellets came from and who authorised their use. The role of the Home Minister has to be investigated. The youth have now handed the baton to Members of Parliament," the leader said.

The issue is expected to dominate proceedings when Parliament meets on Monday, with the Opposition preparing to target the government over the July 20 crackdown while the Centre seeks to push through fresh legislation to deal with paper leaks.

Just the beginning, says Dipke

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder on Sunday shared a video message thanking both supporters and critics, saying his outfit has a "long way to go" and that this was "just the beginning." He said his critics had helped him improve and ultimately deliver on the Cockroach Janata Party's first campaign.

Dipke, who has been diagnosed with typhoid, said, "I could go to sleep and wake up in my bedroom without thinking about what to do next or what will happen till evening."

Describing what he and his team went through over the last 37 days as "really, really difficult," he said that now "there is no panic." Dipke expressed gratitude to everyone who supported the movement and apologised for not personally thanking the supporters at Jantar Mantar after the agitation ended on Saturday, explaining that he was running a high fever and had to return home.

"All the people who were waiting at Jantar Mantar for 37 days, I want to thank each and every one of you. And I want to tell you that I really, really, really appreciate what you did for this country... Without you, we would not have been able to achieve this," he said.

He also thanked those who had criticised the movement, saying their criticism helped improve the campaign by raising legitimate questions. "I think that's why we were able to deliver as well," he added. Dipke said the end of the protest did not mark the end of the movement. "This is just the beginning. The Cockroach Janata Party has a long way to go," he said.