TMC Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose has submitted a notice seeking suspension of the day's business in the Upper House on Monday to discuss the alleged use of excessive force by security personnel against students protesting over the NEET issue.
In the notice addressed to the Rajya Sabha Secretary-General, Ghose on Sunday sought suspension of the normal business of the House under Rule 267 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business to allow an immediate discussion on the issue, saying it is of "grave national importance", according to sources.
"The right to peaceful protest is a constitutional right in our country. Yet it is a matter of grave concern and alarm that student protestors, during their recent peaceful protest against irregularities in examination papers, were the targets of lethal and semi-lethal force from security agencies," the notice said.
It alleged that reports had emerged of pellet gun injuries, "including the possible loss of vision of one student due to use of the pellet gun by the Rapid Action Force".
The notice also referred to eyewitness accounts alleging that individuals in plain clothes assaulted students and sought answers on who authorised the use of a semi-lethal weapon such as pellet guns and what protocols were followed.
Ghose urged the Chair to suspend all listed business at 11 am, 12 noon and 2 pm on July 27, Delhi Police has denied that its personnel used pellet guns during the protest, while the CRPF, whose Rapid Action Force was deployed on the day, has not publicly responded to the allegations.
TMC's notice comes as the Congress-led opposition is expected to continue targeting the government in Parliament over the alleged police crackdown, demanding action against those responsible and an apology from PM Modi, sources said on Sunday.
The opposition's floor strategy, including its position on the bill seeking to amend the two-year-old anti-paper leak law, will be decided at a meeting of the INDIA bloc in Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber in Parliament on Monday morning, the sources said.
Earlier on Friday, Ghose said the opposition would jointly raise the alleged use of pellet guns against students, demanding accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
"Proof has now emerged that security forces did fire deadly pellet guns, which can result in blindness, on our unarmed and vulnerable children protesting on the streets and demanding an accountable examination system," Ghose wrote Friday in a post on X.
Reacting to her post, TMC’s Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien said the issue went beyond the resignation of a minister and that the Prime Minister and Home Minister should be held accountable.
(With inputs from PTI)