Guwahati: The Assam Nagarik Sanmilan on Wednesday accused the Centre of adopting a “repressive response” to the ongoing student protests and called for a People’s Inquiry Commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to investigate allegations surrounding the police action in New Delhi.
In a statement, the civil society organisation said the government’s handling of the protests had “deepened the crisis”, claiming that the use of force against students and youth had escalated the situation instead of addressing their grievances.
Referring to the developments in the national capital, the organisation said Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, other Opposition leaders and members of civil society were detained during a peaceful protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence for demonstrating against the alleged police action on students and youth who had gathered under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on July 20. It described the manhandling of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during the protest as “deeply disturbing”, saying it exposed the “authoritarian character” of the BJP government.
The organisation claimed that police used force against peaceful demonstrators and alleged that “goons” were engaged to assault students and create disturbances in an attempt to discredit the protest.
“Such reprehensible actions must be thoroughly investigated by a People’s Inquiry Commission headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge of impeccable integrity,” the statement said.
According to the organisation, the government chose repression instead of dialogue, thereby aggravating the crisis. It said Minister of State Jitendra Singh met Rahul Gandhi during the sit-in protest as a government emissary and urged him to end the demonstration. When persuasion failed, Gandhi and other protesters were forcibly removed, it said.
The organisation further alleged that Delhi Police had used force against student protesters on July 20. It also criticised the Centre for allegedly preventing a discussion on the issue in Parliament, saying the impromptu protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence followed those developments.
Arguing that the controversy had moved beyond examination paper leaks, the organisation said it has become a question of government accountability.
“The issue has now transcended paper leaks; it is the government itself that is lacking credibility,” the statement said.
Appealing for peaceful and non-violent protests, the Assam Nagarik Sanmilan urged people to remain united while opposing what it described as an authoritarian response to the agitation.
The statement was issued on behalf of the organisation by Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, Paresh Malakar, Santanu Borthakur and Abdul Mannan.