Rahul Gandhi wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding accountability for police violence against student protesters in Delhi [1].
The demand for transparency follows allegations of severe police misconduct during a public demonstration. If the use of lethal force or specialized weaponry was authorized against students, it raises significant questions about civil liberties and the legal boundaries of crowd control in the capital.
Gandhi's letter specifically asks whether Amit Shah approved the use of lethal force against the students [1]. The opposition leader questioned the deployment of pellet guns and the presence of plain-clothed personnel during the police action [2].
These events occurred during a protest on July 20, 2024 [1]. Gandhi said the police response was a barbaric assault on peaceful protesters [1]. The letter seeks to establish a chain of command and determine who authorized the tactics used by security forces during the CJP's Sansad March [2].
According to the dossier, the protesters were targeted in Delhi [1]. Gandhi's inquiry focuses on the proportionality of the force used and whether the police adhered to standard operating procedures for managing demonstrations. He said that the use of such force against students is an escalation that requires a formal explanation from the Home Ministry [2].
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has not yet provided a public response to the specific allegations regarding the approval of lethal force. The incident has intensified the political friction between the opposition and the ruling government over the handling of student-led activism [2].
“Rahul Gandhi described the police response as a "barbaric assault".”
This exchange highlights a growing tension between the Indian government's security apparatus and student activists. By directly questioning the Home Minister on the authorization of lethal force, Rahul Gandhi is attempting to shift the narrative from a localized police incident to a broader issue of state accountability and the potential systemic misuse of force against political dissent.
