New Delhi, 11 August—In more than apparent move to turn the tables on the INDIA block’s demand of Union Home Minister Amit Shah making a statement on Police brutalities against protesters at Jantar Mantar on 20 July, the ruling NDA MPs today led a march inside Parliament shouting slogans over the “brutal” police action on job aspirants in Jharkhand.
While the BJP led NDA MPs gathered outside Parliament’s Makar Dwar and protested against the violence on students in Jharkhand, the Opposition held a demonstration against the alleged theft of donation funds at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and demanded a statement from the Union Home minister on the police crackdown on protesters in Delhi on July 20.
Even as the NDA MPs alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was “running away” from a debate on student protests across the country, INDIA bloc MPs demanded accountability from Union home minister Amit Shah over alleged police excesses during the July 20 student protests over paper leaks.
As protests erupted at ‘Makar Dwar’, MPs from the two opposing sides raised counter slogans while holding placards displaying their respective demands. However, security personnel formed a cordon between them.
The NDA MPs marched from the Parliament Library towards the main entrance of the House, ‘Makar Dwar’ after attending their weekly ‘Mangal Milan’, the coalition’s parliamentary party meeting, and raised slogans like ‘Rahul Gandhi Jawab Do’ and ‘Rahul Gandhi Bhago Maat’ among others.
Sources said that absence of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah in the two houses of Parliament for over two weeks was used to evolve a strategy to counter the INDIA block’s determination to make the Home Minister a statement on Police brutalities and highhandedness against the youth on July 20 in the national capital.
The strategy unfolded today as Jharkhand Policed used tear gas and lathi charged protesters yesterday. It cannot be entirely ruled out that the BJP used all overt and covert means to engineer violence in Jharkhand to weaken the INDIA block’s rising appeal.
On Monday, the government had announced a debate on student protests in various parts of the country by Home Minister Shah.
However, Gandhi said the country is not interested in Shah’s opinion in Parliament on “general topics” and wants to know if he ordered firing of pellet guns at protesting students.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said Gandhi’s mindset has been exposed before the world. He claimed Devendra Nath Mahto, who is on hunger strike in Jharkhand, was beaten up in the state.
Congress is part of the coalition government in Jharkhand.
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut said the children in Jharkhand are allegedly being subjected to atrocities.
They have been brutally beaten, and water cannons and tear gas have been used against them. We have to speak out about this. We are demanding answers on this, she said.
Opposition MPs, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, also protested in Parliament House complex over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the “police excesses” against student protesters over NEET paper leaks in the national capital on July 20.
Meanwhile, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke today called Devendra Nath Mahto, the student leader leading the protests in Jharkhand over irregularities in the state public service exam, a “voice of inspiration” even as the BJP targeted the Congress over the police action on students in Ranchi.
Dipke spoke to Mahto, who took part in the march to the Jharkhand Assembly on Monday despite being on hunger strike for days, over the phone.
“Late at night, we had a conversation with CJP’s founder @abhijeet_dipke ji. He spoke with us, inquired about our health, and extended his full support,” Mahto wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday night.
Dipke replied to the message on Tuesday morning.
“Devendra Bhai, our salute to your courage and spirit! You are the voice and inspiration of Jharkhand’s youth,” Dipke wrote in Hindi.
“In this fight, we stand firmly by your side with full strength. The country needs brave and resilient youth like you. We wish you a speedy recovery. The country needs you.”
The solidarity between the student movements comes at a time when the ruling BJP has upped the ante against the JMM-led government in Jharkhand – in which the Congress is a coalition partner – over water cannons, tear gas and baton charges being deployed against students protesting against irregularities in the state public service exam.
Veteran Journalist and Political Commentator
