KC Venugopal, a Congress Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP), has escalated the Opposition’s criticism of the government concerning the alleged police actions against student demonstrators. On July 27, Venugopal called for Union Home Minister Amit Shah to appear in Parliament and clarify accusations regarding the use of pellet guns in Delhi and AK-47s in Bihar during protests related to examination irregularities.

While engaging with the media amid ongoing protests, Venugopal expressed his concerns regarding Shah’s absence from the parliamentary discussion. He emphasised the government’s approach, stating that significant force was being used against students. Venugopal specifically questioned who had authorised the deployment of such measures in both locations, asserting that the Home Minister bears responsibility for these actions.

Venugopal remarked that the government’s representation by Kiren Rijiju, the Minister of Law and Justice, did not address the accountability of the Home Minister. He demanded that Shah answer for the alleged atrocities that students faced during what he described as a demonstration of excessive force by the authorities.

Calls for an Explanation on Use of Force

Another Congress MP, Manish Tiwari, joined the clarion call for transparency regarding the authorities’ use of force against demonstrators. He highlighted that established legal norms for managing protests had reportedly not been observed. Tiwari questioned the justification for employing lethal measures against unarmed and peaceful protesters, labelling such actions as entirely inappropriate.

Tiwari pointed out recent incidents where pellet guns were allegedly fired at non-violent students, alongside footage showing police officers brandishing AK-47s in Bihar. He described these occurrences as acts of brutality and inhumanity. Tiwari reiterated that the Supreme Court had previously established standard operating procedures for crowd control, shining a spotlight on an alleged failure to adhere to these guidelines in recent events.

The MP’s remarks come in the wake of troubling reports about heavy-handed police actions during student protests. Tiwari underscored the moral obligation of the authorities to uphold human rights even during periods of civil unrest.

Legislative Response to Public Concerns

The criticism from the Opposition further intensified following the introduction of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 by Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh in the Lok Sabha. This legislative proposal aims to address issues such as examination paper leaks by implementing measures including fast-track courts, time-constrained investigations, increased penalties, and the establishment of Special Task Forces and Special Public Prosecutors.

Venugopal, Tiwari, and other members of the Opposition expressed scepticism regarding the effectiveness of the Bill, with Tiwari labelling it a superficial solution. He argued that the government should implement comprehensive reforms to tackle the underlying issues in the educational sector rather than merely reacting to public outrage following the violent incidents involving police actions.

The Parliament session was marked by vociferous protests from Opposition parties, which ultimately led to an adjournment of the House until 2 pm. The intensity of these demonstrations illustrates the prevailing tensions surrounding the government’s handling of student protests and its response to public concerns about educational integrity.

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