New Delhi: The Congress party on Monday moved several adjournment and suspension of business notices in both Houses of Parliament, seeking an immediate discussion on the alleged "brutal and disproportionate" use of force by security personnel against students protesting in the national capital.
The notices come in the wake of the "Chalo Sansad" march held on July 20, where students protesting against irregularities in the NEET and CBSE examinations were reportedly met with a heavy-handed crackdown by the Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF).
Congress General Secretary and MP K.C. Venugopal submitted an Adjournment Motion notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss what he termed the "brutal, unprovoked, and disproportionate use of force by the Delhi Police against students protesting peacefully at Jantar Mantar."
MP Hibi Eden also moved an Adjournment Motion notice, specifically highlighting the actions of security personnel during the 'Chalo Sansad' march. He sought a discussion on the "excessive use of force by security personnel, including the Rapid Action Force, against young students."
In the Rajya Sabha, senior leader Renuka Chowdhury submitted a notice under Rule 267 for the suspension of business, raising serious allegations regarding the nature of the police action.
Chowdhury's notice highlighted the "reported use of lathi-charge, tear gas, and pellet guns," alongside the alleged "deployment of unidentified persons in plain clothes to assault students."
The Rajya Sabha notice further demanded a detailed statement from the Union Home Minister regarding the "circumstances leading to the incident, the authorisation of the use of force, and the identity of those deployed." Additionally, she sought a statement from the Prime Minister on the government's response and measures to ensure such incidents do not recur.
The notices came a day after Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged use of force against students during the July 20 protest and sought accountability.
Sharing a letter addressed to Shah on X, Gandhi alleged that security forces had used "indiscriminate force" against peacefully protesting students and questioned whether the Home Minister had authorised the use of pellet guns.
"Security forces deployed in Delhi answer ultimately to you, so I ask: As Home Minister, did you approve the use of lethal force including pellet guns against students? If not, who did? Are the people in plain clothes seen beating students with lathis police personnel or volunteers? Who authorized their deployment?" Gandhi asked.
He also alleged that women students had been assaulted and claimed that several people, including a journalist, had suffered serious injuries.
On July 20, protesters organised a 'Sansad Chalo' march from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament over their demands, during which instances of lathicharge and tear gas shelling were reported as security personnel moved to disperse the gathering.
