Govt ready to discuss students’ protest issue; Oppn can’t run away: Kiren Rijiju

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said that the government is ready to discuss the police action against the July 20 NEET protesters, and Home Minister Amit Shah will make a statement regarding the same in the House.

The issue relates to the police action against the protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar during the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march on July 20 over the NEET paper leak and other examination-related irregularities. The Opposition has been demanding the Home Minister’s answer over the alleged police “brutality” against the students during the protest.

Speaking to the reporters at the Parliament premises, Rijiju said, “During the BAC meeting, the government has made it very clear that it is ready to have a full and detailed discussion on students’ movement and activities related to it — be it in Delhi or across the nation.”

“I urge the Congress party and the Opposition to wait until the government is ready for the discussion. While the discussion is being held, the Opposition should not create disturbances and listen to the statements made by the government and the Home Minister,” he said.

“Once discussion begins, and the government answers, then they start creating disturbances, resort to sloganeering, and leave the House. The government does not back off from any kind of discussion,” Rijiju said.

“The government is ready to discuss the police action or the student movement or anything else related to this… The country deserves to know everything, but the Opposition should assure us that they won’t disrupt the proceedings or run away from the discussion,” he added.

The Monsoon Session entered its last week on Monday. However, the Opposition continued its protest over the NEET paper leak issue and the police action against the protestors on July 20.

Earlier, Congress MP K.C. Venugopal wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to direct Union Home Minister Amit Shah to make a statement in the Lok Sabha regarding the police action against demonstrators.

In his letter to the Speaker, Venugopal raised concerns over what he described as reports of police brutality and the disproportionate use of force, including the alleged firing of pellet guns, against students and young protesters in the national capital.

–IANS

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