Amit Shah authorised pellet guns on students, will raise issue in Parliament: Rahul

Published 25 July 2026 · politics

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation a “victory” for students and directly held Union Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for the use

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation a “victory” for students and directly held Union Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for the use of lethal weapons against protesting students, saying the issue will be taken up in Parliament. The Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition also accused the RSS of “capturing” and “hollowing out” India's education system, while demanding concrete steps from the government to rebuild a system that he said was once India's pride. Read Full Story “First of all, this is the victory of our students. This is the future of India,” Rahul Gandhi said. 'PRADHAN WAS A SYMBOL OF CORRUPTION, DESTRUCTION' Rahul Gandhi said India's education system had been under attack for years and was being “captured” and “privatised”. “The education system which used to be our pride, the whole world acknowledged that the education system of India is very good. It has been under attack for years. It is being captured, it is being privatised,” he said. Calling Pradhan a symbol of the problems facing the education system, Rahul Gandhi said, “Pradhan is a symbol. A symbol of corruption, a symbol of destruction of the education system, a symbol of incompetence.

He had to go. And it is good that he went.” He also linked the student protests to unemployment. “This was a reaction to unemployment,” Rahul Gandhi said. RAHUL HOLDS AMIT SHAH RESPONSIBLE FOR USE OF LETHAL WEAPONS Rahul Gandhi directly blamed Amit Shah for the use of lethal weapons against students during the protests. “We hold Mr Amit Shah directly responsible. He authorised lethal weapons on our students,” Rahul Gandhi said. He further alleged that the Home Minister had authorised the use of pellet guns against students. “He authorised the shooting of our students. He authorised the use of lethal weapons, pellet guns, on our students,” he said. Rahul Gandhi said the issue was fundamental for the Opposition and would be raised in Parliament. “For us, that is a fundamental issue. We will not accept our own forces shooting the future of India. So that is going to be a major issue in Parliament,” he said. He also said the students had demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Of course, as I said, the students have also demanded an apology from the Prime Minister,” Rahul Gandhi said.

'RSS CAPTURED EDUCATION SYSTEM' While welcoming Pradhan's resignation, Rahul Gandhi said the government must now take concrete steps to improve India's education system. “But now the government will have to take concrete steps to change the education system,” he said. Rahul Gandhi also accused the RSS of capturing the country's education system and said the organisation had “hollowed out” the system. “The RSS's capture of the education system of India is a big issue. If it is Modi ji's fault, then the RSS is equally at fault,” he said. In Hindi, he said that the RSS had taken control of the education system and accused it of damaging it. “The RSS has been eating away at the education system like termites,” Rahul Gandhi said. 'TWO STUDENT DEMANDS STILL REMAIN' Rahul Gandhi said Pradhan's resignation did not address all the demands raised by students, adding that two demands remained. He demanded that action against those accused of attacking students be made public. “Action should be made public,” Rahul Gandhi said. He had earlier said that those who allegedly beat or shot at students must be held accountable, including those who organised and implemented the action.