Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the Congress, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, of turning into a party of “anarchy” and indulging in competitive politics to divert public attention from the Vande Mataram controversy.
Prasad’s remarks came after Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi staged a protest outside the Parliament Street Police Station in the national capital, demanding the registration of an FIR over pellet injuries allegedly sustained by a youth during a protest in New Delhi on July 20.
“It is very unfortunate that LoP Rahul Gandhi does politics of anarchy. Currently, he is sitting on dharna at Parliament Street Police Station without permission or prior information,” Prasad said.
Pointing out that a high-powered committee had already been constituted by the judicial authorities to independently investigate the matter, Prasad said the police had informed Gandhi that an FIR had already been registered in connection with the incident and that the matter was under investigation.
“The Supreme Court has formed a high-powered committee to probe into this. Rahul Gandhi, don’t you want to respect any law?” he said.
Prasad further alleged that the Congress was under pressure because of its position on the national song, Vande Mataram. “We suspect and allege that Congress is now stuck due to its stance on the national song Vande Mataram. We condemn what the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress is doing right now,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Congress leaders and party workers gathered outside the Parliament Street Police Station as Rahul Gandhi staged a sit-in along with Sahil Lochab, who has alleged that he was injured by pellet gunfire during the July 20 protest.
In a post on X, Gandhi accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of being “scared of justice” and alleged that the police had used a pellet gun against Lochab while he was peacefully protesting at Jantar Mantar.
Gandhi claimed that Lochab had suffered serious pellet injuries and that his vision in one eye was now at risk. He also alleged that neither the Home Minister nor the Prime Minister had provided an explanation or apologised to the protesting students.
Gandhi further alleged that when Lochab sought to file an FIR, the police did not allow him to do so, calling it an infringement of constitutional rights. He said an FIR would be registered, a judicial inquiry would be conducted and action would be taken against those found responsible.
Several senior Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, Salman Khurshid, Kumari Selja and Devendra Yadav, were also present outside the police station as party workers raised slogans.
Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said Rahul Gandhi would continue his protest until the FIR was registered. “We have come here in his support. We are very hopeful that he will be successful,” he said.
According to Rahul Gandhi, Lochab had earlier approached the Delhi Police along with his lawyers on August 14 and submitted a written complaint. However, sources said he was allegedly not provided an I/O number or acknowledgement. The complaint was pursued again through email and phone on August 17, but no I/O number or acknowledgement was provided, sources said.
Gandhi then accompanied Lochab to the Delhi Police DCP office on Friday to press for registration of the case. They alleged that the DCP again did not provide details of the case officer or the I/O number.
Gandhi subsequently met senior Delhi Police officials at the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) office at Parliament Street Police Station and sought registration of the complaint.
He had earlier visited Mandir Marg Police Station and requested that a case be registered. After police allegedly refused to register the case, he proceeded to meet the DCP Central before going to Parliament Street Police Station, where he met police officials.
According to the complainant, the alleged incident constitutes a cognisable offence and warrants the registration of an FIR. Rahul Gandhi has sought action on the complaint and pressed for justice for the alleged victim, sources said.
On July 29, Gandhi had addressed a news conference in which he alleged that students protesting over the NEET paper leak and other controversies had been fired upon with pellet guns. He had also accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of being responsible for “brutality” against the protesters.
(with ANI inputs)
