Congress demands Amit Shah's statement on Jantar Mantar protest

Congress MP Manickam Tagore moved an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha over alleged police brutality against student protesters at Jantar Mantar, demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah and a judicial inquiry into the incident.

Motion on Police Action Against Students

Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Friday moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss the "police action" against "students" during a protest held at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on July 20, 2026. Tagore has demanded a comprehensive statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the incident, which he alleged involved the use of disproportionate force against demonstrators, including women.

"Reports and allegations arising from the incident have raised serious concerns regarding the nature and proportionality of force used to disperse the protesters. It has been alleged that lathi charges, pellet guns, tear gas, and water cannons were used against students, including women participants, resulting in injuries and widespread public concern. These allegations require a full, fair and transparent examination," the notice stated.

The MP further asserted that the "House deserves to know" several details regarding the incident, including "who authorised the police action and under whose directions it was carried out" and "whether the use of force complied with the law, established police procedures and constitutional safeguards governing peaceful assemblies."

Calls for Judicial Inquiry and Dialogue

Through the motion, Tagore also questioned "whether pellet guns, tear gas, water cannons or any other crowd-control measures were used, and under what circumstances," alongside the "number of students, including women, who were injured, detained or arrested during the protest."

The Congress leader urged the government to "order an independent, impartial and time-bound judicial inquiry into the incident to establish the facts and fix accountability, wherever required."

Additionally, the notice called upon the government to "immediately withdraw all FIRs registered against students in connection with the Delhi protests and provide an assurance that peaceful student protests and democratic dissent will not be met with police action, criminal prosecution or any form of legal coercion." The notice also suggested that the government should engage in dialogue with the students to address their grievances instead of resorting to "coercive measures."

Tagore concluded by stating that if a judicial inquiry establishes that excessive or unjustified force was used, the Prime Minister should express regret and tender an apology to the students in Parliament.

Motion to Discuss Anti-Defection Law

Simultaneously, Congress MP Manish Tewari moved an Adjournment Motion in Lok Sabha "to discuss the contours of a new Anti-Defection Law that proscribes Mass Political Defections driven by opportunism and bereft of any genuine ideological or policy differences while simultaneously providing space for honest and critical dissent both inside and outside Parliament and the legislatures."

In his notice, Tewari moved that the House suspend Question Hour, Zero Hour, and all other listed business of the day to deliberate on a more stringent legal framework against political switching, allowing a full discussion on what he described as a "matter of urgent importance."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)