Kharge seeks PM apology, Shah statement on police action against student protesters

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to the students who were protesting against paper leaks and Home Minister Amit Shah must make a statement in Parliament on the use of force against them. Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha, Kharge said the home minister must be held accountable for the use of lathis and pellet guns against the protesting students.

In an X post, he alleged that youths are now being forcibly detained and those who participated in the agitations in Bihar and West Bengal are receiving threats. "Today's youth are not intimidated by the threats from the Modi government. Those young people who participated in the protests are receiving threats.

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Kharge alleges detention of students in Bihar, Bengal

In West Bengal and Bihar, numerous youths have been forcibly detained," he said in the post. "First, the youths were beaten with batons and pellet guns, and now that the protests have ended, even their social media accounts are being scrutinised. This is the hallmark of a frightened dictator," he added. Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said the youth of the country are asking questions.

"What happened to the recommendations of the Dr Radhakrishnan Committee formed to address issues in the education sector and prevent paper leaks? A law was passed to prevent paper leaks -- why have so many leaks occurred since then? Why was no full-time director appointed for the NTA?" he asked in the post.

Kharge demands Modi's apology, Shah's statement

"Amit Shah will have to make a statement, and Modi ji will have to apologise!" Kharge posted on X after he raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha. In another post on the microblogging platform, he said the police action on young protesters during the July 20 Parliament march was one of the gravest assaults on democracy in the country's history.

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"Never before have students been beaten, dragged, and treated like criminals for raising their voices," he said. "Home Minister Amit Shah must be held accountable! In Bihar, reports indicate use of AK-47 against students. True? Why are students being picked up in BJP-ruled states? Those responsible cannot escape accountability," Kharge's post further asked.

The issue of police action against student protesters continued to rock both Houses of Parliament on Monday. Both Houses failed to transact any business amid uproar by the opposition.