Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has hit back at Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju over his remarks on the Jantar Mantar protest, rejecting the government’s claim that no protesters suffered serious injuries. Gandhi alleged that peaceful students were subjected to pellet guns and lathi-charge near Parliament, claiming that one child lost an eye and a girl suffered an ear injury. He said he had personally met some of those injured and accused the government of denying the violence.
Rijiju had said that not a single person was harmed during the Jantar Mantar protest, adding that no protester suffered a broken bone or was in hospital with a serious injury.
Responding to the remarks, Gandhi questioned the government’s decision to praise the Delhi Police.
मोदी सरकार के मंत्री कह रहे हैं कि “दिल्ली पुलिस की तारीफ करनी चाहिए।”
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 18, 2026
संसद से आधा किलोमीटर दूर, शांतिपूर्ण छात्रों पर पैलेट गन चली, कील लगी लाठियाँ चलीं, एक बच्चे की आँख चली गई, एक बच्ची का कान कट गया। इस बर्बरता की तारीफ करनी चाहिए?
मैं ख़ुद उन घायल बच्चों से मिला हूँ।… https://t.co/LELgwxuQcE
“Half a kilometre from Parliament, pellet guns were fired at peaceful students, lathis studded with nails were used, one child's eye was lost, one girl's ear was severed. Should we praise this brutality?” Gandhi said.
He added that he had personally met injured students and claimed that thousands of videos of the alleged violence had been seen by the public.
Gandhi accused the government of following a pattern of “untruth and violence”, alleging that students were first beaten and then the incident was denied.
He also targeted Home Minister Amit Shah, claiming that he had remained absent during the parliamentary session and avoided the Opposition.
Gandhi further criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not apologising to the students over the alleged incidents.
“The truth is that the biggest danger to this country comes from these empty-headed people-who neither see their own mistakes, nor admit them even when they do,” he said.
CJP Warns Centre Of Action Over Delay In Withdrawing FIRs Against Protesters
