Not interested in Shah's speech on general issues, answer who authorised shooting on students: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the Opposition was not interested in a general speech by Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament and demanded that he answer who authorised the firing of pellet guns on protesting students in Delhi.

Addressing a press conference alongside Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah had not had the "courage" to come to Parliament for more than 15 days and take responsibility for the police action.

"It is for students to see and understand that neither the home minister nor the prime minister think that what was done to you in Delhi is worth commenting on," Gandhi said.

He said the issue was not whether Shah could deliver a speech in Parliament on general subjects.

"The question was that Home Minister Shah has to make it clear who authorised the shooting of our children in Delhi. He is the Home Minister; pellet guns were fired," Gandhi said.

He demanded that Shah clarify whether he had authorised the firing.

"If Shah ordered it, he is culpable, and if he did not know, he is incompetent," Gandhi said, adding that in either case Shah "should go".

Gandhi also said Modi should apologise for the police action against students during the Jantar Mantar protest.

He identified the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple as the third issue on which the Opposition was seeking answers from the government.

Kharge said the Opposition had been demanding discussions on the police action against students and the alleged paper leak issue but the government had not agreed to address them for 14-15 days.

"We kept forcing them, but he (Shah) did not come," Kharge said.

He also demanded a statement from Modi on the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple, saying the Prime Minister had announced the trust responsible for its management.

"Prime Minister announced the trust and constituted it. Under Modi ji's trusted trustees, theft of donations took place. We wanted the guilty punished and the PM to make statement, but the government did not pay heed to it," Kharge said.

He said Modi should apologise because lakhs of people have faith in the Ram temple.

"These three issues are non-negotiable. We are fighting on all three issues. We stand firm on these three issues; the government must reply on this," Kharge said.