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'Amit Shah ordered shooting of students': Rahul Gandhi's charge sparks Parliament uproar; BJP seeks proof
The BJP sought proof from Rahul Gandhi for his claims against home minister Amit Shah and asked on what basis he levelled such allegations.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, during his address on the ongoing debate over the new anti-paper leak bill, claimed that Union home minister Amit Shah ordered the use of force against students during the NEET protests. His remarks triggered a massive uproar in the Lower House, with the Bharatiya Janata seeking proof of his allegations from the Congress leader.
Since the protests over paper leaks began with the Cockroach Janta Party and scores of students agitating at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, the Opposition has also levelled multiple allegations against the Narendra Modi-led government. Follow Parliament monsoon session live updates
The uproar from the Opposition's side increased after the crackdown on the protest's July 20 march to Parliament. A row over the alleged use of pellet guns, which has now been confirmed by Parliament Street police station's diary entry, also spiralled in the meantime.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi claimed, "The home minister ordered the shooting of our students. He put the pellets into the blood of our students. He ordered the students of India to be shot."
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Gandhi further alleged that the use of force “can only be authorised by the home minister or the Prime Minister."
In his first mention of Shah in the speech, the Congress leader said he was "very happy" that the "so-called home minister of this country does not have the courage to come and sit here".
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"I saw his carcade and the HM sitting inside the car, looking, shaking," Gandhi alleged. The Congress leader further questioned Amit Shah's absence from the House, saying he is not present because "he is scared."
‘On what basis?’ asks Kiren Rijiju
Soon after, Gandhi levelled allegations against Amit Shah, stating that the home minister ordered the firing at the students during the protests.
The LoP's remarks immediately drew heavy opposition from the Treasury side, with Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju questioning the basis for Gandhi's claims.
"You are making such a wrong remark, without even thinking. How can you say this? You are the LoP. On what basis are you saying this?" asked Rijiju.
Rijiju further asked Gandhi, "Who told you this? What you said is wrong. I object, this should be expunged."
The minister further urged Rahul Gandhi to apologise, saying that such a serious allegation was a breach of his own position and privilege in the Parliament.
Rahul Gandhi attacks RSS; sparks ruckus
The Congress leader also took potshots at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, accusing it of influencing the education system and the lessons being taught to students.
He said, "Dharmendra Pradhan never ran the education ministry. The system's soul has been captured by the RSS. The man and the organisation that run the ministry is called the RSS."
Gandhi alleged that Pradhan is just the symbol, terming RSS "the real enemy". He added, "They are the people who want you to be andhbhakts."
He also recalled a conversation with an 18-year-old student, who told him that there are three categories of people, in the context of the recent protests.
"These categories are students, the idiots and then the andhbhakts," said Gandhi, adding that "andhbhakt is a person who is absolutely convinced that another idiot is God."
He said that such people believe the universe is static and that knowledge emerged from inside them. "They are arrogant. They don't listen, they don't respect other people's truth," the LoP said.
His remarks immediately triggered objections from the government side, with Speaker Om Birla also terming the language as "unparliamentary."
Rahul Gandhi's remarks, which the Speaker termed 'unparliamentary', were later expunged from the proceedings.
