NEW DELHI: Contesting the Delhi Police’s claim that pellet guns were not used during the July 20 protests, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paraded a student protester who was allegedly shot with a pellet gun by security personnel during the protests. Gandhi said the eye of the injured protester, Sahil, was damaged and he is unable to see from that eye.
Addressing a press conference outside Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence with the Sahil by his side, Gandhi demanded that there should be action against those who shot at and baton charged students, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise to students. “You are saying that protesters have not been hit by pellet guns. I want to explain when pellet guns were fired. My brother was struck by a pellet gun when he was peacefully protesting with a tricolour.”
“Dharmendra Pradhan is a “criminal education minister”, a symbol of the collapse of India’s education system and must be removed, he added.
Lifting the youngster’s T-shirt to show his injuries to the media, Gandhi said, “This is the future of our country. This has happened to thousands of youth, they have been shot at with pellet guns and have been beaten up in lathi-charge. What are they doing? They are doing peaceful protests,” the LoP in the Lok Sabha said.
Gandhi said Sahil had given an exam for recruitment in the police force but the question paper was leaked. “Sahil’s mother and father from their hard-earned money got him this opportunity. The government must stop lying,” he said.
“They are saying three things—the Education Minister, because of whom the students are protesting and paper leaks happened, must be removed; action must be taken against those who have fired at our future and beat them with lathis. Narendra Modi, who is the operator of the system, should apologise to thousands of students,” he added.
“Stop assaulting and threatening our students,” he said, adding, “Pradhan is the reason this brother has gotten shot. He is the reason thousands of people are outside on the streets protesting.”
Sahil, who was allegedly hit by the pellet gun in his right eye, said he demands justice. He has undergone one surgery to repair the injured eye and remove pellets and is awaiting another. He was first taken to Lady Hardinge Medical College and later to Safdarjung Hospital before being shifted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre on July 21.
Cops deny pellet use, CRPF doesn’t respond
Sahil was allegedly hit by the pellet gun in his right eye. Delhi Police has denied that its personnel used pellet guns against protesters. The CRPF, whose Rapid Action Force was also on the streets on the day, did not respond to questions about the alleged use of pellet guns.