Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack Home Minister Amit Shah following a crackdown on student protesters in Delhi.
The demand elevates a local police action into a national political confrontation, questioning the accountability of India's top security leadership during civil unrest. It signals a deepening rift between the opposition and the current administration over the handling of democratic dissent.
Gandhi said during a press conference in Delhi on July 21, 2026, regarding the events at Jantar Mantar. He questioned the actions of the Delhi Police and alleged that the Home Minister ordered the use of excessive force against students [1, 2].
Gandhi challenged the Home Minister's oversight of the security forces. "If the Home Minister did not know that firing was taking place, it means he is either unaware of the lawlessness or complicit in it," Gandhi said [1].
The opposition leader argued that the level of violence used during the protest required a high-level judicial intervention. He specifically requested that the Prime Minister remove Shah from his post to ensure an impartial investigation [1].
"I want the Home Minister to be removed and a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the crackdown on students," Gandhi said [1].
The protests at Jantar Mantar resulted in several detainees and injuries to police personnel [2]. While Gandhi focuses on the police conduct and the Home Minister's responsibility, the government's response to the specific allegations of ordered force has not been detailed in the reports [1, 2].
“"I want the Home Minister to be removed and a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the crackdown on students."”
This escalation represents a strategic move by the opposition to link police misconduct directly to the highest levels of the Ministry of Home Affairs. By demanding a Supreme Court-monitored probe, Gandhi is attempting to move the dispute from a political debate to a legal framework, which could force the government to disclose internal directives given to the Delhi Police during the Jantar Mantar protests.
