1 week ago
Home Panel Blocks Debate on Delhi Student Protest Crackdown
A group of lawmakers met to discuss crimes against children.
Some Opposition lawmakers also wanted to discuss police action against student protesters in Delhi on July 20.
They said the police had allegedly used pellet guns and electric batons.
The committee chairman did not allow that discussion.
He said the issue was already before the Supreme Court.
The Opposition argued that the committee should still examine it.
The meeting became heated, including an argument about the 1984 Sikh pogrom and police actions in Haryana.
The chairman said the committee could discuss general rules for controlling riots at a future meeting.
A parliamentary home affairs panel refused to discuss the July 20 police crackdown on Delhi student protesters.
Chairman Radha Mohan Das Agrawal cited the matter’s pendency before the Supreme Court.
Opposition MPs had sought discussion of alleged police use of pellet guns and electric batons.
The meeting instead focused on “Crime Against Children” with several ministries’ officials invited.
Agrawal offered to discuss general police riot-control procedures at the committee’s next meeting.
- Who
- Members of Parliament’s standing committee on home affairs, including chairman Radha Mohan Das Agrawal and Opposition MPs.
- What
- The committee blocked a proposed discussion on the police crackdown on student protesters in Delhi.
- Where
- At a meeting of Parliament’s standing committee on home affairs in India.
- When
- The dispute occurred at a Tuesday meeting; the protest crackdown was on July 20, and a previous meeting took place on August 5.
- Why
- The chairman said the matter was pending before the Supreme Court, which had formed a committee to investigate allegations of police excesses.
Opposition MPs’ Position
Committee Chair’s Position
Whether to discuss the Delhi crackdown
Opposition MPs’ Position
Opposition MPs, including Ajay Maken and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, argued that the committee should discuss the July 20 police action and alleged police excesses.
Committee Chair’s Position
Radha Mohan Das Agrawal did not permit discussion of the specific incident because he said it was pending before the Supreme Court.
Scope of a future meeting
Opposition MPs’ Position
Opposition MPs sought examination of the government’s response to police conduct, including alleged use of pellet guns and electric batons.
Committee Chair’s Position
Agrawal said he was open to discussing general standard operating procedures for police to control riots, without referring to a particular incident.
Key facts
- Committee chairman
- Radha Mohan Das Agrawal, a BJP MP
- Scheduled agenda
- “Crime Against Children”
- Proposed topic
- The police crackdown on student protesters in Delhi on July 20
- Court status
- The Supreme Court had formed a committee to probe allegations of police excesses
- Earlier cancellations
- Two committee meetings were cancelled during Parliament’s monsoon session
- Opposition demands
- A response from Home Minister Amit Shah on alleged use of pellet guns and electric batons, and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Possible future discussion
- General standard operating procedures for police to control riots
Quotes
An unnamed MP
A member of the home affairs standing committee who spoke to the newspaper
“How come did the BJP chairman of the IT committee allow the discussion on Meta and Facebook (when Delhi High Court was also looking into the issues)? There was a verbal skirmish today, because the BJP chairmen are only using their standing committees to pursue their own agenda”
telegraphindia.com
“We think the meetings were cancelled because Shah and Modi were staying away from Parliament”
telegraphindia.com
Radha Mohan Das Agrawal
BJP MP and chairman of the standing committee on home affairs
“Agrawal said he was open to discussing standard operating procedures for police to control riots, without referring to any particular incident, in the next meeting”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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