New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday described Amit Shah’s call for having a discussion on student protests as a “last-minute” attempt to fill gas in the home minister’s image “balloon” that had burst, and asserted that the youth want to know who ordered that protesters be shot at with pellet guns.
Gandhi also said the opposition was not interested in listening to Shah’s imagination and lecture in Parliament.
The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said if Shah ordered that students be shot at, he is culpable, and if he did not, then he is incompetent, and in both the cases he should resign.
He said Shah’s image “balloon” had been deflated and there was a last-ditch attempt to fill gas in it but “the balloon had burst”.
The Congress leader’s remarks came after Shah said the government is ready to discuss all issues in Parliament, including students’ protests.
The home minister said if the opposition gives it in writing before 2 pm to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, discussion can start at 3 pm today till 3 pm tomorrow.
Speaking to reporters, Gandhi said, “(Congress president Mallikarjun) Kharge ji and myself did a press conference and the rest of the opposition has made it clear - we are not interested in listening to Mr. Amit Shah’s imagination. We are not interested in him giving us a lecture or a discussion.”
“We are interested in one simple thing. When I say we, I mean the younger generation of this country… who shot those students, who gave the order to shoot those students, who blinded one of the students, who shot one of the students in the ear, who gave the order to beat the students with lathis and nails, who gave that order, that order was implemented by the home ministry,” the former Congress chief said.
He said the Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) are both home ministry systems.
“Did Mr. Amit Shah give the order to shoot our children or did he not, if he did, he should resign because he is culpable, and if he did not, he should resign because he is incompetent,” Gandhi said.
He also hit out at journalists for interrupting him and asked whether they do the same when Shah speaks.
Gandhi also asked reporters what is so special about the BJP leader that the media stands before him like a “mouse”.
The students are not scared and so shouldn’t the media, he said.
“We don’t care what he has to say. For 20 days he disappeared, now he would come and sit here (in Parliament). Students should know that 30 cars move around with Amit Shah, there are a thousand policemen outside his residence, so that no child appears there,” Gandhi said.
“The (image) balloon has deflated and in a last-minute, he is trying to fill gas again but the balloon has burst. Amit Shah has no courage, the home minister of India has no courage, he cannot come to the House,” the Congress leader said.
Gandhi said he has not been silent in the student protest in Jharkhand.
“I have said clearly in my press conference that we do not appreciate any violence against our students. I am not silent, I am saying it openly,” he said.
Later, sharing the video clip of his remarks on X, Gandhi said, “When a man lacks the courage to speak the truth, his silence speaks for him. Amit Shah’s silence is his confession.”
Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said, “Why did Home Minister Amit Shah avoid the two-day discussion on education and student protests in Parliament? Now Home Minister wants another discussion before he attends the Lok Sabha.”
“As LoP Rahul Gandhi ji said, time for lecture has passed. The Home Minister should come and present a statement on the police action against young people in Delhi and the use of AK-47 in Bihar. Home Minister Amit Shah should be present in both the Houses of Parliament,” he said.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “First time since 1952 neither the PM nor the HM were present in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha during the entire session.”
