Delhi Protest Crackdown Row: Centre Says Amit Shah Will Speak, Opposition Asked to Maintain Order

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The Centre has offered a possible route to break the political deadlock over the Delhi student protest crackdown by allowing Union Home Minister Amit Shah to make a statement in Parliament. But the government has made one condition clear: Opposition MPs must allow the House to function without disruptions.

The proposal comes after days of political tension surrounding the police action during a protest march in Delhi. Opposition parties have demanded answers from the government, particularly from the Home Minister, over allegations of excessive force against students and demonstrators.

The confrontation dates back to July 20, when protesters attempted to march towards Parliament. Security forces blocked the march and later used tear gas and other measures to disperse the gathering. The incident became controversial after footage emerged showing police personnel using batons against protesters.

Another issue that attracted attention was the deployment of policemen in civilian clothes. Delhi Police later confirmed that personnel without uniforms had been deployed as reinforcements for maintaining law and order. Critics questioned the visibility and accountability of such personnel during the crackdown.

The Opposition has sought direct accountability from Amit Shah. Rahul Gandhi wrote to the Home Minister demanding answers about the use of force and asking who authorised the action. The Congress has argued that security forces operating in Delhi ultimately fall under the Union Home Ministry.

The government has rejected claims that Amit Shah or another minister directly ordered police personnel to use force. Its position has been that administrative and police authorities handled operational decisions.

The dispute has nevertheless continued because the Opposition believes the government must provide a political answer in Parliament.

Kiren Rijiju’s latest announcement is therefore important. By offering Amit Shah’s statement, the government has signalled that it is prepared to discuss the issue. At the same time, the condition that Opposition members should not disrupt proceedings indicates that the Centre does not want the offer to become another reason for repeated adjournments.

The Opposition’s response has been more cautious. Congress and other opposition parties have continued to demand accountability on the protest crackdown, along with other issues they want discussed during the session. Their position is that simply allowing a statement does not automatically resolve the questions raised by the police action.

The Speaker has also entered the debate. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has appealed to Opposition parties to end their protests and allow parliamentary proceedings to continue.

Meanwhile, misinformation surrounding the incident has added another layer to the controversy. A widely circulated video allegedly showed a senior Delhi Police official claiming that Amit Shah had ordered police to end the protest at any cost. Fact-checkers found that the video was digitally altered and that the original official statement instead called for restraint and peaceful conduct.

Amit Shah’s statement could therefore have political significance beyond the immediate dispute. The Home Minister could explain the government’s understanding of the events, the role of police authorities and the steps taken after the protest.

For the Opposition, the statement would provide an opportunity to put questions directly before the minister.

For the Centre, it offers an opportunity to present its defence while attempting to restore normal parliamentary functioning.

The success of the proposal will ultimately depend on whether both sides can separate the demand for accountability from the disruption of parliamentary proceedings. Until then, the Delhi protest crackdown remains one of the key political issues confronting the Monsoon Session.

Journalist Details

Jitendra Kumar

Jitendra Kumar is an Indian journalist and social activist from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh is known as the senior journalist and founder of Xpert Times Network Private Limited.