Rahul Gandhi Calls for Modi to Sack Amit Shah Over Police Brutality on Youth Protesters

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (July 29) accused Union home minister Amit Shah of ordering the police action on protesters last week and demanded that he be sacked. He also sought an independent Supreme Court monitored probe against the police brutality unleashed on July 20.

“There are two possibilities: he [Shah] gave the order to shoot with pellet guns, to beat people with lathis with nails and [to give them] electric shocks. Or he did not know what was happening. If he gave the order, he is culpable and if he didn’t know, he is incompetent. In either case, he has to go. Every child who was beaten should know that this is the man who beat you, thrashed you and shot you with pellet guns,” said Gandhi.

Gandhi’s remarks came at a press conference just hours after a massive uproar in the Lok Sabha during his speech on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. During the discussion, Gandhi said that it was Shah who ordered that students be shot at, leading to an uproar from the Treasury benches, demanding Gandhi’s apology.

“Part of the beatings was done by the Delhi Police, which reports to the MHA [home affairs ministry] and the home minister,” Gandhi said. He said the Rapid Action Force, which reports to the CRPF, which again reports to the MHA, “also did the beatings”.

“These forces both report to Amit Shah. On July 25, I wrote a letter to the home minister asking him if lethal force, pellet guns approval was given and whether those seen beating up youth in plain clothes, if they are police officials. I did not receive even an acknowledgement of the letter,” said Gandhi at the press conference.

Gandhi said that the Opposition will ensure that the students who were beaten get justice and demanded that Modi sack Shah and order an independent probe.

“We have the photographs, we have the videos. Accountability is going to come; this is the opposition’s guarantee to the students. This is our advice to the prime minister, that sack Shah and order an independent probe monitored by a high powered committee of the Supreme Court. At least have the decency to take responsibility for what you have done,” he said.

Gandhi said that he was holding the press conference because he was not allowed to speak in the House. The Treasury benches had demanded an apology from Gandhi for his remarks against Shah, even though the home minister himself was not present in the House.

"The Leader of Opposition [Gandhi himself] is not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha. Multiple times, I asked the Speaker to bring order to the House so that I could speak, but I was not allowed,” said Gandhi.

“The excuse was that I said something about Amit Shah, that he was responsible for the brutality that was carried out ... I was given an assurance that if I apologise, I will be allowed to speak. I will never apologise to the BJP, RSS or any other person associated with them.”

Also read: ‘Home Minister Ordered Students to be Shot,’ Says Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha

Gandhi also said that he was concerned about the action being taken against students who had participated in the protests.

"I am doing this press conference right now because I am concerned about that. I am concerned that, in the shadows, silently, the home minister, the establishment, and those who share his thinking are attacking the students who were on dharna. They are using facial recognition, threatening them, and the Bajrang Dal is being used against them and beating them up,” he said.

“That is why I am standing here today, because I want to draw attention to this, and I want every single student and their parents to know that the government is doing this. These are our children. They are our future, and the government has no business attacking them, threatening them, beating them or even touching them.”

Following Gandhi’s speech in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh said that no shots were fired and only tear gas was used and therefore the question of asking who issued orders [for firing on protesters] does not arise.

“A pellet gun is a lethal weapon. At close range, pellet guns can kill a person, blind a person. In front of the press, I showed you a pellet gun victim. There were injuries on his body and in his eye. The AIIMS report said that the patient has been shot by pellet guns. Who did this? It's not one person, there are many. I have given proof. And they are saying we are lying. I have spoken to the victim, to the doctor. And government is saying we did not use pellet guns. Will you go by proof or hollow words?" said Gandhi in response at the press conference.

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