Rahul Gandhi stages protest outside Parliament Street police station
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sits in protest outside the DCP office in Central Delhi.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, reached the police station on Friday to file a complaint against the security personnel accused of firing pellet guns at students and protesters during a protest march to Parliament on July 20. Later, Rahul Gandhi began a sit-in outside the DCP office in Central Delhi, alleging that the police refused to register an FIR.
According to Indian Express, student Sahil Lochav, who was injured by a pellet during the Parliament march demanding the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accompanied Rahul Gandhi. They first went to the Mandir Marg police station and then to the DCP (Central Delhi) office at Sansad Marg.
A Congress leader said,
“Rahul Gandhi first went to the Mandir Marg police station. As the case was not registered there, he went to meet the DCP (Central). He will not return until the case is registered.”
Sahil Lochav had submitted a written complaint to the Delhi Police on August 14, but according to the Congress leader, the police did not provide him with the details of the Investigating Officer. The Congress leader said, “He tried to get information about the case via email and phone on August 17. Despite this, no details of the Investigating Officer were provided. No acknowledgment of the complaint was given either.”
According to the Congress leader,
Rahul Gandhi accompanied Lochav to assist him, but the DCP also did not provide any information about the Investigating Officer or related details. He said, “This is a cognizable offence, so an FIR should be registered, but the Delhi Police is not doing so.”
Notably, 19-year-old Sahil Lochav from Najafgarh lost vision in one eye after being hit by a pellet during the Parliament march on July 20. Questions have been raised about the use of pellet guns during the march. Earlier, The Indian Express reported that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) found that a Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel fired seven rounds from a pellet gun, five of which hit protesters.
The Congress alleged that,
Sahil Lochav, along with his lawyers, submitted a written complaint to the Delhi Police on August 14, but they were not given the Investigating Officer (I/O) number. According to the party, on August 17, they again sought information on the action taken on the complaint via email and phone, but neither the I/O number was provided nor any acknowledgment of the complaint was received.
The party further alleged that on Friday, Rahul Gandhi went to the police station with Lochav demanding action, but the DCP also did not provide any information about the officer or the I/O number. The Congress claims that the crime is of a cognizable nature and hence an FIR is necessary, but the Delhi Police has not done so.
According to ANI, Rahul Gandhi has been asked to end the sit-in. Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel have now been deployed outside the DCP office.
Speaking to journalists, Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress will ensure justice for every student like Sahil Lochav.
He said,
“Today, I went to the DCP office at Sansad Marg to file an FIR against the police brutality faced by Sahil Lochav. On July 20, Sahil, who was peacefully protesting at Jantar Mantar, was attacked by the police with a pellet gun. The pellet injury has now endangered the vision in one of Sahil's eyes.”
Rahul Gandhi further stated that such brutality against peaceful protests is not only illegal but also a serious crime. He said,
“Neither Home Minister Amit Shah has given any explanation to the students regarding this cruelty, nor has the Prime Minister apologized to them. Now, when Sahil wants to file an FIR for justice, he is not being allowed to do so. This is a trampling of the Constitution and constitutional rights.”
Targeting the Union Home Minister, Rahul Gandhi said,
“Amit Shah ji, why are you so afraid of justice? This fear shows that you are admitting your crime. An FIR will be registered. A judicial inquiry will be conducted. And action will be taken against whoever is guilty of this brutality, from top to bottom. We will ensure justice for Sahil and every victimized student like him.”
It is noteworthy that the issue of using pellet guns during the students' protest on July 20 has become a major controversy. In this matter, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has held the Union Home Minister responsible and even demanded his resignation. The opposition was asking Amit Shah to answer for the repression of students, but Amit Shah did not respond to this issue in Parliament.
According to a report by The Hindu, the daily diary of the Sansad Marg police station mentions the use of anti-riot guns and plastic pellets by RAF personnel during the protest. According to the diary entry, RAF personnel fired two rounds from anti-riot guns and two rounds of plastic pellets while trying to control the crowd. Following this incident, there has been a growing demand for an independent investigation into police action against the protesters, especially the allegations that students were injured by pellets and other crowd control methods.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court constituted a five-member high-level inquiry committee headed by former judge Justice R. Subhash Reddy to investigate police excesses during the protest. This committee will investigate allegations related to the use of pellet guns, electric batons, lathi charge, tear gas, and other methods used for crowd control.