- Rahul Gandhi accused Home Minister Amit Shah of ordering firing at Delhi student protesters last week
- Minister Jitendra Singh refuted the claim, stating only magistrates can authorize police firing
- Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju demanded Rahul Gandhi apologise for the allegations
The government has hit back at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's charge that Home Minister Amit Shah ordered firing at the student protesters in Delhi last week.
Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh lashed out at Rahul Gandhi saying he lacked administrative knowledge.
Contesting Gandhi's claim that Amit Shah ordered police to fire at the protesters, Singh said that only a magistrate or an SDM can give such an order.
"Leader of Opposition has no idea of how administration works. Orders to open fire in any situation can only be given by a magistrate and not by any minister," Singh said in the Lok Sabha.
Signh also clarified that no shots were fired on the protesters. "It was repeatedly clarified that no shots were fired; tear gas was used. Since no shots were fired, the question of issuing an order does not arise. The authority to issue such an order rests with the magistrate, not the minister," he stated.
Earlier speaking in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on the new law to curb paper leaks, Rahul Gandhi trained guns at the home minister blaming him for the crackdown on the protesters.
Alleging that Shah "ordered" the attacks on students, Gandhi said: "The Home Minister now doesn't have the courage to face Parliament and speak on the assault of students."
He was countered by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju who urged Gandhi not to make "allegations" against the Home Minister.
"On what basis have you said this? This is highly objectionable. You should apologise," Rijiju said.
The House was adjourned twice due to the uproar over Gandhi's remarks and government's counter.
Speaking with reporters in the Parliament House complex later, Gandhi said, "There can be just two options; the Home Minister gave the order for firing (at protesters), the other is that the Home Minister did not know that there will be firing." "In the first case, he is culpable. In the second case, he is incompetent, there can be no other option." "Why is he not coming to the House? Supposedly the brave home minister of India, why is he not in the House? If he has not done anything, why is he not coming? It is my right to speak in Parliament and I should have this right," Gandhi said.
The anti-paper leak bill was later passed amid opposition sloganeering with a voice vote.
