New Delhi: Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju hit out at Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for criticising his praise of the Delhi Police over their handling of the recent Jantar Mantar student protests, claiming no one was harmed, and alleged that exercises conducted to quell movements under previous Congress led governments had led to several deaths.
“Life and security of the citizens should be the top priority for the government. No life was lost during the students’ protest on NEET exam paper leaks despite many criminals trying to take advantage,” Rijiju stressed in his post on “X” on Wednesday.
He then listed a series of allegations against the Congress party, beginning with: “1. Air Force was used to bomb Indian citizens in Mizoram.” In 1966, the Indian Air Force carried out the operation against the Mizo National Front (MNF) rebellion as part of Operation Jericho. The MNF had declared “independence” and occupied key areas, including Aizawl, creating a situation where the Indian Army was trying to regain control.
He next mentioned the 1969 Telangana Movement, where, “According to historical accounts, 369 people died during the agitation, most of them students who were killed in police firing,” he posted.
The Minister also reminded of the 1976 demolitions at Delhi’s Turkman Gate and subsequent police firing during the tumultuous Emergency days. He added, “A major confrontation took place. The death toll remains disputed. Police acknowledged six deaths, while other accounts, including a statement attributed to the police officer who issued the firing order, put the number at 20 or more.”
Another incident from 1976 he referred to was the infamous Muzaffarnagar police firing on aggressive protestors against the sterilisation drive in the Uttar Pradesh city.
He wrote that it “escalated and police opened fire on demonstrators. Various historical accounts have reported a substantial number of deaths, with some sources putting the toll at around 50.”
Altogether, he cited 11 such incidents, including the Moga agitation of 1972 over alleged black marketing of cinema tickets in Punjab, where four people allegedly died in police firing.
Rijiju recounted incidents of violence and deaths from several states where students, farmers, fishermen, activists and common people, including passers by, were victims.
“There were many more police firing cases during Congress,” he stated, adding, “These incidents provide a chronological record of major protest movements and agitations in which deaths occurred in police firing or related police action while Congress governments were in power.”
He stressed that “Our government has been showing maximum restraint in all agitations.”
Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday posted on the same platform that “Ministers of the Modi government are saying that ‘the Delhi Police should be praised’.”
Stressing that he met children allegedly injured by shots fired from pellet guns, which “the country has seen thousands of videos,” he claimed.
“Don’t lie to the children of this country. They have eyes and memories too,” added the Congress leader on Tuesday.
(IANS)
