Amit Shah will speak on students' protest, says government amid Parliament logjam

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju informed the Parliament that the government is ready to discuss all issues related to students and will respond to the points raised by the Opposition.

In Short

• Parliament locked in deadlock over police action on student protests in Delhi
• Opposition demands Shah's statement on police use of pellet guns and excesses
• Government agrees Home Minister Amit Shah will address the House on the issue

As Parliament remained deadlocked over the Opposition’s demand for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the police action against students protesting in Delhi, the government on Monday said Shah will respond in the House, potentially paving the way for an end to the logjam that has continued since the Monsoon Session began.

Pushing back against the Opposition pressure, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government is ready for a detailed discussion on all issues concerning students -- not just a statement -- and would respond to every point raised by the Opposition.

"The government is ready for a discussion on issues related to students. We are ready and will respond to all the points that will be raised by the Opposition. The Home Minister will respond," Rijiju said.

He also urged the Opposition not to disrupt proceedings during the discussion and allow the Home Minister to make his statement.

"My only point to the Opposition is that while the discussion and a reply are being made, the Opposition should not create disturbances to prevent the statement of the Home Minister. They must listen to the reply of the Home Minister and the government. Once discussion begins, we must have a threadbare discussion," Rijiju said.

The Opposition has alleged that the police action against students protesting on June 20 under the banner of the CJP was disproportionate and condemned the reported use of pellet guns. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the action was carried out on Shah’s orders.

Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have witnessed sustained Opposition protests over the past few days, with MPs demanding that the Home Minister respond to the allegations.

The Monsoon Session, which began on July 20, has seen little legislative business amid the disruptions, with the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, being one of the few major measures to clear both Houses.

Slogans targeting Shah have been raised in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, repeatedly disrupting proceedings and forcing adjournments within minutes of the Houses assembling. Opposition MPs have also been staging daily protests at the gates of Parliament.

Earlier on Monday, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to direct Shah to make a statement on the floor of the House.

Venugopal said the Home Minister must make a comprehensive statement and answer questions over what he described as "police atrocities and the use of pellet guns against the youth and students in Delhi".

He said the "heavy-handed action" by law enforcement agencies against "young citizens exercising their democratic rights" was a "matter of grave national concern" requiring immediate parliamentary scrutiny.

Since the Delhi Police functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the "ultimate responsibility" for the action rests with the Home Minister, Venugopal said in his letter to Birla.

With only four days of the Monsoon Session remaining, the fate of several key legislative measures, including those related to women's reservation, delimitation and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), remains uncertain amid the continuing logjam.

Meanwhile, the Congress has issued a whip to its MPs in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, asking them to remain present in their respective Houses on August 10, 11 and 12, citing "very important" issues scheduled to come up for discussion.

The party has also asked its INDIA bloc allies to ensure that their MPs remain present in Parliament on all three days.

- Ends