Bengaluru, July 21 (IANS) Karnataka BJP and Congress chiefs on Tuesday traded sharp accusations over the police action against students during the ‘Parliament Chalo’ protest in New Delhi, with the ruling BJP at the Centre terming the agitation a “pre-planned conspiracy” to destabilise the country, while the Congress described the lathi charge as an “inhuman assault” on democratic voices.
The war of words erupted following reports of police action against students participating in protests and a hunger strike near Jantar Mantar, with both parties offering contrasting narratives on the incident and its political implications.
Reacting strongly to the police action on students who were baton-charged and tear gas and water cannons were used on them, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President, B.K. Hariprasad, accused the Centre of suppressing democratic dissent and using excessive force against students demanding accountability of the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over repeated NEET paper leaks.
Condemning the police action, Hariprasad said students participating in a peaceful protest and hunger strike from Jantar Mantar to Parliament were subjected to excessive force.
“The government’s inability to protect examination papers has been exposed, and instead of answering students seeking justice, it has displayed its authoritarian cruelty by unleashing police action on them,” he stated.
Hariprasad argued that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and questioned whether students raising concerns over their future should be treated as criminals.
“The students carried books, placards, and demands for justice, while the government responded with batons, boots, barricades, and arrests. A government that cannot answer students’ questions is now trying to suppress their voices through police power,” he said.
Drawing parallels with India’s freedom movement, the Congress leader stated that the BJP was adopting methods similar to those used by Colonial rulers to suppress dissent.
He also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “The Prime Minister, who advises students through ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha,’ does not have the courage to face the real questions being asked by students.”
Hariprasad demanded immediate medical treatment for injured students, the release of those detained during the protests, and sought the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on moral grounds.
Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra, however, defended the Narendra Modi-led government’s handling of the peaceful march by the students, asserting that the BJP fully respects the democratic right to peaceful protest but would not permit attempts to undermine Parliament or disturb public order.
“The BJP wants to state clearly that every citizen has the right to protest peacefully in a democracy. However, under the guise of protest, we will not allow any conspiracy to lay siege to Parliament, incite violence, create anarchy, or destabilise and divide the country,” Vijayendra claimed in a statement.
He alleged that “toolkit gangs” and Opposition parties were behind the agitation and claimed that anti-national elements were exploiting the protests for political purposes.
According to Vijayendra, the Union government had engaged with the protesters, noting that Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda had met their representatives on Monday evening. However, he maintained that legal action becomes unavoidable when there is an attempt to compromise the dignity and sanctity of Parliament.
Calling the agitation a “pre-planned and sponsored protest,” the BJP leader claimed that those engaging in violence could not be considered students. He also praised the Delhi Police for handling the situation in a “highly professional manner” while using only minimal force despite several security personnel reportedly sustaining injuries.
“This ‘Parliament Chalo’ is merely a pretext. Behind it are anti-national forces whose interests have been affected since the Modi government came to power. Other forces seeking to weaken the country are also involved,” Vijayendra alleged.
–IANS
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