The political battle over the July 20 crackdown on protesters has intensified. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to address the House on the issue; however, the opposition that was calling for Amit Shah’s statement doesn’t seem to care. The government has offered a detailed discussion on the recent student protests and the alleged police crackdown, while the leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, says, “We don’t care”.
Amit Shah said that he was ready to answer all the opposition’s questions and would remain present in the House from 3 pm on Wednesday until 3 pm on Thursday. However, Rahul Gandhi arrogantly dismissed the offer.
Rahul Gandhi said, “We don’t care about his opinions”, referring to Amit Shah. Rahul Gandhi’s attitude suggests that they don’t want any constructive debate on the issues facing students and instead want to exploit the issue for political mileage. Ironically, the only student protest currently underway in the country is in Jharkhand, where the Congress party is part of the government.
Amit Shah’s statement in Parliament could provide an opportunity for both sides to place their respective versions on record. The key question now is whether the debate will focus on finding answers for protesting students or become another political confrontation between the government and the Opposition.
