NEW DELHI, August 12, 2026 —
Rahul Gandhi Demands Shah’s Resignation, Seeks Answers Over Action Against Students
Rahul Gandhi demands Amit Shah resignation as the confrontation over alleged police action against student protesters continues to dominate Parliament’s Monsoon Session.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament on Wednesday, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha accused the Union home minister of avoiding direct questions about who authorized the reported use of force against students.
Gandhi rejected Shah’s offer to participate in an extended parliamentary discussion, saying the opposition was not interested in listening to a general speech.
“The opposition has made it clear that we do not want to listen to Amit Shah’s speech,” Gandhi said. “When I say ‘we,’ I mean the young generation of this country.”
He alleged that Shah lacked the courage to face questions and renewed his demand that the home minister step down.
Gandhi Asks Who Authorized Reported Use of Force
Gandhi said the opposition wanted to know who ordered police action against students demonstrating in the national capital.
“We simply want to know who ordered the firing on the protesting students,” Gandhi said. “Who gave the orders? Who ordered the baton charge?”
He claimed that the directives would have originated from the Home Ministry and asked whether Shah had personally authorized them.
“If Amit Shah gave those orders, he should resign because he is responsible,” Gandhi said. “If he did not give the orders, he should still resign because he is not fit to hold the position.”
The allegations about firing and the use of specialized batons remain disputed. Government representatives have previously denied that bullets were fired, saying tear gas was used during the protest. The supplied material does not contain an official finding establishing that Shah personally authorized any use of force.
Rahul Gandhi Questions Shah’s Presence in Parliament
Gandhi also accused Shah of staying away from parliamentary proceedings for approximately 20 days.
He claimed the home minister traveled to Parliament with a large security convoy and that several police vehicles were stationed outside his residence because authorities feared students might gather there.
“The home minister does not have the courage,” Gandhi said.
Opposition lawmakers have repeatedly displayed posters and raised slogans questioning Shah’s presence during the Monsoon Session. They have demanded that he personally address Parliament over the alleged treatment of student demonstrators.
Shah has rejected the charge that he was absent from the Parliament complex. He said he had attended Parliament continuously since the session began and had been working from his office even when disruptions prevented the Houses from conducting business.
Gandhi Confronts Reporter Over Interruption
Gandhi also became involved in a sharp exchange with a journalist who interrupted him with a question while he was speaking.
“Do you interrupt people from the ruling party in the same way?” Gandhi asked the reporter.
He alleged that journalists regularly interrupted opposition leaders but lacked the confidence to question government representatives with the same persistence.
“You interrupt us around the clock, but you do not have the courage to interrupt them,” Gandhi said. “Why do you stand silently in front of them?”
He then invoked the student protests while urging journalists not to be intimidated.
“If students across the country are not afraid of the government, you should not be afraid either,” he said.
The exchange reflected the increasingly combative atmosphere surrounding the political dispute, which has extended beyond the two Houses of Parliament to daily media interactions in the complex.
Shah Says He Has Been Attending Parliament
Responding to opposition accusations, Shah said expressions such as “missing” and “ran away” had become common in India’s public and parliamentary discourse.
He maintained that he had been visiting Parliament regularly since the beginning of the session.
“I have been coming to Parliament continuously since the session began,” Shah told reporters. “I sit in my office.”
The home minister argued that he could not respond inside the Houses while opposition protests repeatedly prevented proceedings from continuing.
“The opposition is not allowing Parliament to function in either House,” Shah said. “What can anyone do in such a situation?”
Home Minister Offers to Answer Questions
Shah said the government was ready for a detailed parliamentary discussion and had nothing to conceal.
He asked opposition parties to submit a written list of questions to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. He offered to remain available in Parliament from 3 p.m. Wednesday until 3 p.m. Thursday to listen to members and respond point by point.
Shah maintained that the government had accepted the opposition’s initial demand for a discussion but accused its lawmakers of subsequently refusing to allow the debate to proceed.
Gandhi, however, said the opposition was seeking direct answers and accountability, not what he characterized as a lecture from the home minister.
The exchange left the parliamentary deadlock unresolved. The government says Shah is ready to answer any question if proceedings are allowed to continue, while the opposition insists that he first give specific answers about command responsibility for the reported police action.
Claims and Denials Remain at Center of Dispute
The political conflict centers on demonstrations linked to student concerns, including allegations involving examination irregularities and the authorities’ response to protesters in Delhi.
Opposition leaders have alleged that protesters faced excessive force, including pellet injuries, tear gas and baton charges. Government representatives have challenged parts of that account and denied that live bullets were fired.
No conclusive inquiry establishing individual command responsibility was cited in the supplied material.
Until the two sides agree on a format for debate, the dispute is likely to continue disrupting Parliament, with Gandhi demanding Shah’s resignation and the home minister insisting that opposition protests are preventing him from responding in the House.
