Shah writes to Birla, offers Parl debate on NEET protests, Rahul says not interested in Home Minister's ‘lecture’

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to allocate time for a discussion in Parliament on the student protests over the NEET examination and the alleged police action against protesters.

In his letter, Shah said the government is ready for a detailed discussion and that he intends to remain present in the House to hear the Opposition and respond to the issues raised.

“…the government is ready to discuss this issue again. I request you to consult with the Opposition and, based on mutual agreement, allocate as much time—whether in terms of days or hours—as you deem appropriate, starting today. I intend to remain present in the House during the scheduled time to participate in the discussion on this issue and am prepared to answer all questions raised by the Opposition...” the letter read.

The development comes amid a prolonged Parliament standoff, with the Opposition demanding a response from Shah over alleged police excesses during the 20 July student protest and Ayodhya Ram Mandir donation theft row.

Can start the debate right now: Rijiju

During Lok Sabha proceedings after the contentious Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Wednesday, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the government was ready for discussion at any time in the remaining two days of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The session, which began on 21 July, ends on 13 August.

Earlier on Wednesday, Shah said the government was ready for a discussion and asked Opposition parties to submit a notice to the Speaker. Shah also accused the Opposition of deliberately disrupting Parliament and said the government had “nothing to hide”. He said he was ready to listen to every point raised and answer all questions.

The Opposition, however, has maintained that it wants direct answers and accountability from the Home Minister over the alleged police action against students.

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House complex, he said it was now up to the opposition whether they want to take part in the debate or to create turmoil in Parliament.

"Even today, I say that they should submit a letter to the Speaker by 2 PM. We are ready for all kinds of discussions from 3 PM today until 3 PM tomorrow," Shah said, asserting that the government has nothing to hide.

The home minister's remarks came just a day before the Monsoon Session came to an end after prolonged disruptions of the proceedings in both Houses of Parliament. The protests and sloganeering by the opposition initially started over the NEET paper leak and alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Not interested in Shah's imagination: RaGa

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday described Home Minister Amit Shah's call for having a discussion on students' protests as a "last-minute" attempt to fill gas in the BJP leader's image "balloon" that had burst, and asserted that the youth want to know who ordered that protesting students be shot at with pellet guns.

Gandhi said the opposition was not interested in listening to Shah's imagination and lecture in Parliament.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said if Shah ordered that students be shot at, he is culpable, and if he did not, then he is incompetent, and in both cases, he should resign.

Gandhi said Shah's image "balloon" had been deflated, and there was a last-ditch attempt to fill it with gas, but "the balloon had burst".

Speaking with reporters, Gandhi said, “(Congress president Mallikarjun) Kharge ji and I did a press conference, and the rest of the opposition has made it clear -we are not interested in listening to Mr Amit Shah's imagination. We are not interested in him giving us a lecture or a discussion.”

"We are interested in one simple thing. When I say we, I mean the younger generation of this country - who shot those students, who gave the order to shoot those students, who blinded one of the students, who shot one of the students in the ear, who gave the order to beat the students with lathis and nails, who gave that order, that order was implemented by the home ministry," the former Congress chief said.

Delhi Police is under Home Ministry

He said the Delhi police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) are both home ministry systems.

“Did Mr Amit Shah give the order to shoot our children, or did he not? If he did, he should resign because he is culpable, and if he did not, he should resign because he is incompetent,” Gandhi said.

“We don't care what he has to say. For 20 days, he disappeared. He would come and sit here (in Parliament). Students should know that 30 cars move around with Amit Shah, there are a thousand policemen outside his residence, so that no child appears there,” Gandhi said.

“The (image) balloon has deflated, and in a last-minute, he is trying to fill the balloon with gas again, but the balloon has burst. Amit Shah has no courage, the home minister of India has no courage; he cannot come to the House,” the Congress leader said.

(With agency inputs)