Whether Culpable Or Incompetent, Amit Shah Must Go, Says Congress
The Indian Youth Congress staged a protest in Delhi on Thursday, July 30, demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over an alleged crackdown on students on July 20 (Image: UNI)
Days after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following nationwide protests over repeated examination paper leaks, the Congress has intensified its attack on the Centre, demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the police action against student protesters in Delhi.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused Shah of being either directly responsible for the use of force or failing to prevent it.
“Either Amit Shah gave the order to use pellet guns, beat students with lathis and use electric batons, or he did not know what was happening. If he did not know, that amounts to incompetence. In either case, he needs to go,” Gandhi said.
The Congress has also demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the police action during the July 20 protests, where students gathered to protest against the NEET paper leak and demand reforms in the examination system.
“If Amit Shah does not resign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should sack him,” the party said.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Home Minister was aware of developments during the protests and questioned his silence.
“I saw Amit Shah calling Jitendra Singh. That means he knew what was happening. He has not come to Parliament because he is guilty,” Gandhi claimed.
His remarks came after he was unable to speak in the Lok Sabha amid repeated disruptions. According to the Congress, Rahul Gandhi’s microphone was switched off after members of the Treasury benches objected to his remarks against the Home Minister and demanded an apology.
The Congress has repeatedly accused the government of using excessive force against students protesting peacefully.
Calling the police action one of the country’s biggest concerns, Gandhi said the treatment of students had crossed all limits.
“To me, the most important issue today is that our students were brutalised on the streets of Delhi. They were shot with pellet guns. There were also shock batons—not ordinary lathis, but batons fitted with nails. Facial recognition is being used against them. The Bajrang Dal is being mobilised to intimidate them so that they do not raise their voices again,” he alleged.
The Rapid Action Force (RAF), which was deployed alongside Delhi Police during the protests, has acknowledged that pellet guns were used. However, the RAF and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have not confirmed whether plastic pellets were fired. Reports suggest that at least three protesters suffered pellet injuries.
Both the RAF and Delhi Police function under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, headed by Amit Shah.
Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra later visited injured students admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi. Gandhi also addressed the media alongside a student who allegedly lost vision in one eye after being hit by a pellet during the protest.
Demanding accountability, Gandhi said he had tried to raise the issue in Parliament but was prevented from doing so.
“I wanted to raise this issue in the House, but I was not allowed to speak. I was told that if I apologised for my comments on Amit Shah, I would be allowed to speak. I said I cannot apologise for speaking the truth. The Opposition guarantees the students that there will be accountability,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi also referred to a letter he had written to Amit Shah on July 25, asking whether the Home Minister had authorised the use of force against the protesters and seeking answers about people in plain clothes who allegedly assaulted students.
“Forget the reply—even an acknowledgement has not come,” Gandhi said.
According to the Congress, hundreds of injured protesters were taken to hospitals across Delhi after the July 20 demonstrations. The party also alleged that government hospitals refused to reveal how many injured students had received treatment.
While Delhi Police initially denied using pellet guns, the Congress cited a general diary entry recorded at Parliament Street Police Station that appeared to contradict the official version.
According to the diary entry, recorded at 1.24 am on July 22, an RAF deputy commander informed police that, acting on the instructions of a Deputy Commissioner of Police, personnel had used 55 non-electric shells, 15 electric shells, five tear-gas grenades and fired two rounds of plastic pellets during the protest.
The Congress says this document raises serious questions about the government’s earlier denial and strengthens the demand for an independent investigation.
“We will ensure that the students who were beaten get justice and that those who shot our students with pellet guns are punished,” Gandhi said.
Rahul Gandhi also criticised the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which was passed in the Lok Sabha by voice vote.
Calling the legislation inadequate, he argued that the government was ignoring the deeper problems facing students.
“The Bill is not worth discussing. The students are saying the education system is not working. Papers are getting leaked. They are going through immense pain. And the Modi government’s response is that they will increase the punishment from one year to ten years. The Bill says it accepts paper leaks and will merely punish those responsible,” he said.
