New Delhi, Jul 26 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding accountability for the “barbaric assault” on peacefully protesting students here and asking whether he approved the use of “lethal force”, including pellet guns, against the youth.
In his letter to Shah, Gandhi said peaceful protest is crucial to any democracy, and it is the government’s responsibility to protect protestors and resolve their grievances through dialogue.
“Such brutal violence destroys every norm, and has outraged the country. Youth and students, the future of our country, are demanding answers and accountability. Their voice will be heard,” the former Congress chief said.
“I write to demand accountability for the barbaric assault on students who were peacefully protesting in Delhi on July 20, 2026. Our students were demanding a fair and accountable education system. Instead of being heard, security forces assaulted them with indiscriminate force, including lethal weapons and tear gas,” Gandhi said in his letter dated July 25.
“Hundreds have suffered serious injuries and women students have been assaulted by policemen, including by deliberately targeting their private parts,” he stated.
Gandhi said the most shocking has been the use of pellet guns.
“Reports in the media and social media clearly show people who have suffered grave injuries, including a journalist. I met 19-year-old student Sahil Lochab, who is now in severe pain and is likely to lose an eye because he was shot with pellet guns,” he said.
“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?” Gandhi said.
The Congress leader also asked whether the plainclothesmen seen beating students with lathis were police or volunteers.
“Peaceful protest is crucial to any democracy. It is the government’s responsibility to protect protestors and resolve their grievances through dialogue. Such brutal violence destroys every norm, and has outraged the country. Youth and students, the future of our country, are demanding answers and accountability. Their voice will be heard,” he said to Shah.
Later, in a post on X, Gandhi said pellet guns, lathis and tear gas were used against students peacefully protesting in Delhi.
“I met 19-year-old Sahil Lochab. Shot with pellets, he may lose an eye. His ‘crime’? Demanding an end to paper leaks and a fair future for our students,” Gandhi said and again asked Shah who authorised the firing of pellet guns, who the people wearing plainclothes were, and who authorised their deployment.
“‘Desh jawab maang raha hai’ (The country is demanding answers),” he added.
Congress general secretary, in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh shared the letter on X.
He said that the the home minister must answer these questions in Parliament tomorrow.
“The prime minister should apologise to the students,” Ramesh said in his post in Hindi.
Congress’s media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the brutal violence unleashed on students on July 20 demands accountability at the highest level.
“The questions must be asked of the Home Minister, because that is where the chain of command ends – and also where the answers lie,” he said, tagging Gandhi’s post on the letter to Shah.
The protests were spearheaded by the CJP, a platform launched by former AAP functionary Abhijeet Dipke as a satirical online campaign in May. The movement, within days, evolved into a nationwide youth movement centred on demands for accountability over the NEET paper leak.
The agitation began at Jantar Mantar on June 20 but gained national momentum after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined it on June 28 and went on a hunger strike with six AISA activists. Wangchuk ended his fast on Thursday night after the Centre’s outreach to him.
The government’s first formal engagement with the CJP leadership came on July 20 at Nadda’s residence. Outside, in central Delhi, police cracked down on protesters marching towards Parliament.
Gandhi on Friday presented before the media a student protester who was allegedly shot with a pellet gun by security personnel during the July 20 march.
“You are saying that protesters have been hit by pellet guns. I want to explain when pellet guns were fired. My brother was struck by a pellet gun when he was peacefully protesting with a tricolour in hand,” Gandhi said in his address to the media outside Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence, with Sahil Lochab by his side.
Gandhi also lifted the youngster’s T-shirt to show his injuries to the media.
Delhi Police has denied that its personnel used pellet guns against protesters during the march. The CRPF, whose Rapid Action Force was also on the streets on the day, did not respond to questions on the use of pellet guns. PTI ASK VN VN
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