- BJP defended Shah, contrasting Congress’s past handling of protests.
BJP on Wednesday hit back at Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Anti-Paper Leak Bill. Rejecting his allegations regarding police action against student protesters, the party said Gandhi had misled the House by claiming Union Home Minister Amit Shah ordered police firing during the Parliament march.
‘Magistrate, Not Home Minister, Takes Call’
Addressing a press conference shortly after the House was adjourned, BJP MP Sambit Patra dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s allegations as “false” and said no police firing had taken place during the students’ Parliament march.
Patra said Gandhi’s claim that Amit Shah had ordered police to open fire was factually incorrect. “If no firing took place, where does the question of such an order arise?” he asked.
Explaining the protocol during public demonstrations, Patra said decisions on the use of force are taken by the magistrate present at the spot and not by the Union Home Minister.
“Wherever there is a march, security forces are deployed along with a magistrate, who takes decisions on the ground. The Home Minister does not issue such orders,” he said, accusing Gandhi of spreading misinformation.
Patra also criticised Gandhi for questioning Shah’s absence from the House, saying the Home Minister was attending a scheduled public engagement and that his programme was publicly known.
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Targets Rahul Over Remarks
The BJP leader also objected to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks categorising students during his speech.
According to Patra, Gandhi suggested there were “three categories” of people in the country, including students, “idiots” and “blind supporters”. He described the remarks as an insult to students, asserting that every student in the country deserved respect.
Patra further rejected Gandhi’s claim regarding the size of Amit Shah’s convoy, challenging him to substantiate his assertion that it comprised 30 vehicles.
He also defended the Home Minister against Gandhi’s allegation that he appeared “afraid”, saying Shah had led the government’s campaign against Naxalism and that extremists feared him.
Drawing a political contrast, Patra accused previous Congress governments of using force against student movements, while claiming the present government was committed to addressing the aspirations of Gen Z rather than promoting what he described as the “Gandhi generation”.
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