New Delhi, August 11: Congress MP K.C. Venugopal condemned the police action against protesters during the assembly siege in Jharkhand on Tuesday. He criticized the central government, stating that it cannot divert attention from the alleged police brutality faced by protesters during the July 20 Parliament march by raising the issue of Jharkhand.
Venugopal’s remarks came as NDA and opposition MPs clashed outside the Parliament at Makar Dwaar. The NDA accused the opposition of disrupting parliamentary proceedings, while the opposition demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah address the issue of police action against protesting students, particularly regarding the use of pellet guns.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Venugopal stated that any police action against students is condemnable. He said, “Whenever serious questions about the atrocities on students in Delhi are raised, this is the response they give. We condemn any attack on students, wherever it occurs. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has also stated this, but you cannot divert attention from the atrocities in Delhi by raising the Jharkhand issue.”
Venugopal referenced a post by Rahul Gandhi on the social media platform ‘X’, where he criticized the police action against students protesting alleged irregularities in examinations in Jharkhand. Gandhi wrote, “The use of force against students protesting in Jharkhand is wrong. Students have the right to peaceful protest, and solutions can only be found through dialogue. The Jharkhand government should listen to the students and address their issues promptly.”
Congress MP Amar Singh added, “We will oppose and condemn any lathi charge. We have condemned it, even if it involves our ally government. We are not in favor of using force. Problems should be resolved through dialogue.”
He emphasized, “The Jharkhand government has already stated this. It is not like the BJP-led governments where bullets were fired and AK-47s were drawn.”
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari also stated, “Whether at Jantar Mantar or in Jharkhand, we condemn any use of force against students.”
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Pushpendra Saroj supported the Jharkhand government led by JMM during the student movement but warned that “a situation like Jantar Mantar should not arise.” He said, “Regardless of the party in power, the government must listen to the students. There should not be a situation like what was seen at Jantar Mantar, where three resignations have already occurred and the first round of talks with officials has taken place.”
Saroj mentioned that the Hemant Soren government is directly engaging with students. He stated, “We have seen the Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand speaking openly on this issue. Therefore, this is not a dictatorial government. The Congress-JMM government in Jharkhand is continuously in touch with students.”
The SP MP also noted that the demand for a CBI investigation into the alleged examination irregularities in Jharkhand can only be fulfilled by the central government.
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