Rijiju Denies Firing at Jantar Mantar, Questions Opposition's Pellet Gun Claims
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju denied police used pellet guns or fired shots during a July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar, countering opposition claims by Rahul Gandhi that two students were injured.
Intelligence analysis by Gemini 2.5 Flash
Kiren Rijiju refuted allegations of excessive force by police during a protest march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament, specifically denying the use of pellet guns or live ammunition. He questioned the credibility of opposition claims, highlighting the discrepancy between a large crowd and only two reported pellet injuries.
Imagine a big group of people marching to talk to the government, and the police try to stop them. Some people say the police used special guns that shoot tiny plastic balls and hurt two students. But a government minister says, "No, that didn't happen! If it did, many more people would be hurt, not just two." So, they're arguing about what really happened during the protest.
Analysis
Kiren Rijiju's Stance
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju firmly denied that police used excessive force, including pellet guns or live ammunition, to disperse protesters at Jantar Mantar on July 20. In an interview with India Today, Rijiju stated that security forces would naturally attempt to stop thousands of people marching towards Parliament. He dismissed the opposition's claims of firing as false, asserting that if no shots were fired, the question of who fired them becomes irrelevant. His argument hinges on the logic that if pellet guns were indeed used in a crowd of thousands, the number of injured would be substantially higher than the one or two reported.
Rahul Gandhi's Allegations
Rahul Gandhi, a prominent opposition figure, made two distinct claims regarding the use of pellet guns and excessive force by police. On July 24, he held a press conference with an injured student at his residence, 10 Janpath, where he displayed the student's wounds, alleging they were caused by a pellet gun during a peaceful protest. He reiterated these claims on July 29, presenting another student whose eye was reportedly injured by a pellet gun. Gandhi further accused police of using shock batons, sticks fitted with nails, slapping women, and allowing plainclothes RSS affiliates to assault students during the demonstration.
July 20 Parliament March
The protest in question, organized by the 'Cockroach Janata Party' (CJP), commenced on July 20 with a march from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament. The demonstration escalated when protesters breached barricades around 10 am, prompting police to deploy tear gas shells to control the crowd. Reports also indicated instances of stone-pelting later in the evening. The confrontation resulted in injuries to over 50 police personnel and a similar number of protesters. The CJP specifically accused the police of using lathi-charge, pellet guns, and tear gas against unarmed demonstrators, setting the stage for the ongoing political contention.
Key points
- Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju denied police used pellet guns or fired shots during a July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar.
- Rijiju questioned why only one or two people were reportedly injured if pellet guns were used in a crowd of thousands.
- Rahul Gandhi claimed two students were injured by pellet guns, showing one student's wounds and another's eye injury.
- Gandhi also alleged police used shock batons, nailed sticks, slapped women, and that RSS goons beat students.
- The July 20 protest, organized by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), involved a march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament, leading to barricade breaches, tear gas, and stone-pelting, injuring over 50 police and protesters.
