New Delhi, 26 July (H.S.): Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday wrote to Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, seeking answers over the alleged brutality against students during a peaceful protest.

Rahul Gandhi shared the letter on X, stating that students were demanding a fair, transparent and accountable education system. Instead of listening to their concerns, he alleged, the security forces resorted to indiscriminate use of force, including the use of lethal weapons and tear gas. He claimed that hundreds of people sustained serious injuries during the crackdown.

In his letter, Gandhi further alleged that the most disturbing aspect of the incident was the reported use of pellet guns. Referring to media and social media reports, he said they clearly showed several people suffering serious injuries, including a journalist.

I met 19-year-old student Sahil Lochab, who is in severe pain and is at risk of losing vision in one eye after being hit by a pellet fired from a pellet gun, Gandhi wrote.

Addressing the Home Minister, Rahul Gandhi said that the security forces deployed in Delhi are ultimately accountable to him. He then posed two questions: As the Union Home Minister, did you authorise the use of lethal force, including pellet guns, against students? If not, who authorised it?

He also sought clarification regarding individuals seen in plain clothes allegedly assaulting students with batons, asking whether they were police personnel or volunteers and who had authorised their deployment.

Gandhi stated that peaceful protest is an essential pillar of any democracy. He said it is the government's responsibility to ensure the safety of demonstrators and address their grievances through dialogue. Alleging that the violence violated every democratic norm, he said the incident had outraged the nation. He added that the country's youth and students, who represent India's future, deserve answers and accountability, and their voices must be heard.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar