What Sparked the Outrage in Rajya Sabha Over Police Actions Against Student Activists?

Tensions Rise in Rajya Sabha Over Police Conduct

New Delhi: On Wednesday, JP Nadda, the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, stated that any student activist engaging in activism should be prepared to face police intervention.

This comment came in response to John Brittas, who raised concerns about Delhi Police officers entering the CPI(M) office in Delhi.

The Rajya Sabha session turned contentious as members voiced their objections regarding the police's alleged intrusion into the CPI(M) headquarters on Tuesday, where they aimed to apprehend student leader Aishe Ghosh, a former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union.

Following the presentation of various documents, Chairman CP Radhakrishnan allowed members to address the issue.

Brittas highlighted the incident, emphasizing that police had forcefully entered a national political party's office to detain Ghosh.

He pointed out that her only supposed wrongdoing was participating in a student protest at Jantar Mantar. When questioned, the police cited unresolved cases from 2020-21. "While I don't oppose police actions, it's alarming that they acted without prior notice to you (CP Radhakrishnan). What is their intention – to instill fear? I urge the Home Minister to clarify this situation," he stated.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition, echoed these sentiments, labeling the police's actions as disgraceful and demanding accountability for the officers involved.

The opposition continued to chant slogans, insisting on action against the police.

In response, Nadda, recalling his own experiences as a student leader during the Emergency, remarked, "This is standard law enforcement activity that the police must undertake. Any student wishing to engage in activism should be prepared to face the police; I certainly did during the Emergency."

His remarks incited further uproar, with opposition voices overpowering other discussions.

When Rajib Bhattacharjee from the BJP attempted to speak, the opposition's disruptions persisted.

Ultimately, the Chairman adjourned the House until noon.

Earlier, as the session commenced at 11 am, various ministers presented papers, including Jayant Chaudhary for the Ministry of Education and Nityanand Rai for the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo and M Nagaraja also submitted the Twenty-Seventh Report of the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel regarding infrastructure development for washed coal production.

Arjun Ram Meghwal proposed a motion for the House to agree with the Lok Sabha's recommendation for the Rajya Sabha to elect two members to the Joint Committee on Offices of Profit, following the retirement of N.R. Elango and Deepak Prakash. The House agreed to elect members as directed by the Chairman.