Opposition rejects Amit Shah’s Parliament debate offer, demands answers over student protest

New Delhi: Opposition parties on Wednesday rejected home minister Amit Shah's offer to have a parliamentary debate on students' agitation in Delhi. They continued to stall the remaining bit of the monsoon session, scheduled to end on Thursday. Though Congress chose to send a message by officially demanding in the Houses that the FCRA bill should be withdrawn, yet Opposition parties were happy and relieved about the contentious bill going to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) rather than it being pushed through the Opposition protest as the government did with many other bills.

Responding to queries on Shah's statement, LoP Rahul Gandhi said, "We don't want Amit Shah's lecture. We want answers. Who shot at our students? Who ordered it? Who blinded one student? Who ordered lathis with nails to be used? That order came from the home ministry. Did Shah give the order to shoot our children or not? Either way, he must resign. If he did, then he should resign. For the last 20 days, Shah has been missing. The home minister of India has no courage". TMC MP Saugata Roy said, "Using force against students anywhere is wrong, and we do not support it. There should be a discussion on the use of lathis and pellet guns. We also demand an apology from Shah."

Asked what will happen in Parliament on the last day of the session, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the Opposition protests will continue. SP welcomed the sending of the FCRA bill to the JPC.