NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written to 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 the country is demanding answers.
He 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 most shocking has been the use of lethal 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.
Are the people in plain clothes seen beating students with lathis police personnel or volunteers, he asked.
Who authorised their deployment, Gandhi further questioned
“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 in his letter 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.
“Amit Shah ji, I have two questions: 1. Did you approve the use of lethal force, including pellet guns, against students? If not, who did? 2. Were the men in plain clothes beating students with lathis police personnel or volunteers? Who authorised their deployment?” Gandhi said.
“‘Desh jawabmaangrahahai’ (The country is demanding answers),” he added.
The protests were spearheaded by the CJP, a platform launched by former AAP functionary Abhijeet Dipke as a satirical online campaign in May before it 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 acquired national momentum after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined it on June 28 and undertook an indefinite fast 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, even as police cracked down on protesters marching towards Parliament, an action that became a turning point in the agitation and swelled support for the movement.
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 protests.
The Congress leader had also demanded that there should be action against those who shot at and baton charged students, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise to students.
“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 had said with the injured protester, Sahil, by his side, as he addressed the media outside Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence.
Lifting the youngster’s T-shirt to show his injuries to the media, Gandhi had said Sahil’s eye was damaged and he is unable to see from that eye.”
The circumstances surrounding Sahil’s injuries have also raised questions about the alleged use of pellet guns during the protest.
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 about the alleged use of pellet guns.
PTI