Congress can protest, but Parliament must hold govt accountable: Harish Salve
As Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi staged a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence over the alleged police action on students, senior advocate
As Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi staged a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence over the alleged police action on students, senior advocate and former Solicitor General Harish Salve said the Opposition was well within its rights to raise the issue but argued that Parliament—not street protests—is the proper forum to hold the government accountable. Speaking to India Today, Salve said the developments over the past two days had made it evident that the agitation had acquired a political character. Read Full Story "It's become clear this is a political protest. It's not a students' protest; it's a political protest," he said. Salve said Rahul Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, has every right to take up issues affecting students and question the government. However, he maintained that the Opposition's strongest weapon is debate in Parliament, not demonstrations outside the Prime Minister's residence.
'AN EXERCISE IN NARRATIVE SETTING' He described the protest as an exercise in "narrative setting" that may dominate television headlines for a day or two but would not produce lasting accountability. "The place where the government must answer is Parliament," he said, adding that commitments made on the floor of the House carry far greater value than assurances sought through protests. According to Salve, the focus should be on how the alleged NEET irregularities occurred, who was responsible and what safeguards are needed to prevent a repeat. He said if the Opposition seeks a serious discussion on these issues, Parliament is the institution designed to compel the executive to respond. "You will not find a solution for this on the street," he said. CONFRONTATIONS NOT UNCOMMON Referring to Monday's protest march, Salve said he was not convinced that everyone seen in the demonstrations was a NEET aspirant, though he clarified that his view was based only on the visuals he had watched.
He also said confrontations between protesters and police are not uncommon when politics shifts to the streets, and any allegations of excessive force should be examined separately. Salve expressed concern over protests being taken to sensitive locations such as the Prime Minister's residence, saying political parties should avoid setting precedents that could weaken democratic institutions. "What I am seeing today is not the interest of students. I am seeing the interest of political leaders who want to ride on the misfortune of students," he said. Drawing a distinction between symbolic protests and prolonged disruptions, Salve said occasional demonstrations are part of politics but cannot become a substitute for legislative debate. 'MPs ARE THERE FOR PARLIAMENT, NOT STREETS' He warned that repeated disruptions would ultimately reduce Parliament's ability to scrutinise the government, allowing laws to be passed without adequate discussion.
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