Who authorised AK-47s, pellet guns & badgeless cops? Cong targets Amit Shah over protest crackdown

The Congress on Tuesday mounted a sharp attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding answers over the deployment of AK-47-armed security personnel, the use of pellet guns and the presence of "badgeless" and plainclothes police during the nationwide protests over the alleged NEET paper leak.

Addressing a news debate on NDTV India, Congress leader Gurdeep Singh Sappal alleged that security personnel used excessive force against students and claimed the actions violated Supreme Court guidelines governing police conduct during crowd-control operations.

Referring to what he described as an Indian Express report, Sappal claimed that personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), fired five rounds of pellet ammunition during the protests.

"Pellet guns may not have been fired by the Delhi Police, but the Rapid Action Force, which was deployed there, fired five rounds. That is clear. Rahul Gandhi presented one of the victims before the media. Let us stop beating around the bush. The question is very simple — why has it become so necessary for them to protect Amit Shah?" Sappal said.

The Congress leader alleged that armed personnel carrying AK-47 assault rifles were deployed against student protesters in Bihar and outside Parliament.

"There are videos showing AK-47s being deployed. Whether they were fired is a separate issue. But AK-47s were pointed at students in Bihar and outside Parliament. An official video released from Parliament itself showed security personnel carrying AK-47s. Why should AK-47s be pointed at the students of this country?" he asked.

Sappal also alleged that police personnel without identification badges and officers in civilian clothing participated in crowd-control operations and lathi-charge during the protests.

Citing the Supreme Court's 2006 judgment in the Prakash Singh case, he claimed that police personnel are not permitted to undertake crowd-control duties without identification badges or carry out lathi-charge while dressed in civilian clothes.

"The Supreme Court's directions are very clear. Police cannot control crowds without badges, and they cannot carry out lathi-charge while in plain clothes. Both these things happened. Pellet guns were also used and AK-47s were deployed," he alleged.

Sappal further claimed that some police officers who refused to participate in action while dressed in civilian clothes were removed from their posts, though he did not provide evidence to support the allegation.

"We are getting indications that some officers refused to lathi-charge students in civil dress and were subsequently removed. This is also something the country deserves to know," he said.

Questioning the Centre's handling of the protests, Sappal said the government was attempting to divert attention by introducing amendments to the anti-paper leak law while failing to address concerns raised by students.

Referring to the first hearing before the fast-track court constituted to hear cases related to the alleged NEET paper leak, he claimed the absence of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) lawyer reflected the government's lack of seriousness.

"The government is presenting the fast-track mechanism as the solution. Yet on the very first day, the CBI's lawyer did not appear. This shows how serious the government really is," he said.

Sappal also alleged that the Centre had assured student protesters that all FIRs registered against them would be withdrawn and that no punitive action would be taken against peaceful demonstrators.

"The students agreed to end their agitation on the assurance that all FIRs would be withdrawn. If the government now backs out of that promise, Parliament cannot function normally. The commitments made to students must be honoured," he said.

Demanding accountability, Sappal asked who had authorised the alleged deployment of AK-47-equipped personnel and the use of pellet guns against students.

"Who gave permission to use pellet guns against students? Who authorised the deployment of AK-47s? Accountability has to be fixed because these were not terrorists. They were students and young people raising their voices for their future," he said.

The Centre and the Ministry of Home Affairs did not immediately respond to Sappal's allegations. The claims have not been independently verified.