Rahul Gandhi accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of authorizing the use of pellet guns against student protesters during a Lok Sabha session [1].

The confrontation marks a significant escalation in parliamentary tension as the opposition links legislative debates on education and exams to allegations of state-sponsored violence. This clash highlights the deepening divide between the government and the opposition regarding civil liberties and the treatment of student activists.

Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, launched his attack while speaking on the anti-paper-leak bill [1]. He shifted the focus of the legislative debate to target both Shah and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) [2]. Gandhi said the Home Minister was responsible for the authorization of pellet guns used against students during protests [3].

The center has demanded an apology following Gandhi's remarks [2]. The debate in the Lok Sabha occurred during the 2026 monsoon session of Parliament in New Delhi [1]. Gandhi sought to hold the government accountable for the police crackdown on students, arguing that the use of force was an abuse of power [2], [3].

While the primary agenda of the session involved the anti-paper-leak legislation, Gandhi used the platform to raise issues of human rights, and police conduct [1], [3]. He said the government's approach to student dissent is punitive rather than corrective [3].

Shah did not provide a public rebuttal in the provided records, though the government's response focused on the need for an apology for the nature of the accusations [2]. The session continues to be marked by heated exchanges as the opposition challenges the legal framework of the new bill and the operational tactics of the home ministry [1].

“Rahul Gandhi accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of authorizing the use of pellet guns against student protesters”

This confrontation illustrates a strategic shift by the opposition to merge policy critiques—such as the anti-paper-leak bill—with broader allegations of human rights abuses. By linking legislative debate to the use of pellet guns, the opposition is attempting to frame the current administration as prioritizing force over dialogue, potentially mobilizing student demographics against the government's security apparatus.