Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has rejected allegations of excessive force during the Gen Z student protest over the NEET paper leak in Delhi, saying there were no widespread injuries among protesters.
Rijiju spoke to India Today TV a day after Parliament’s Monsoon Session was adjourned sine die on August 13, following a largely disrupted session in which the government and Opposition remained locked in confrontation over several issues.
The Opposition alleged that excessive force, including the use of pellet guns, was used against protesters and had sought an explanation from the government in Parliament.
“There were no widespread injuries,” Rijiju said, rejecting the charge of excessive force.
However, India Today had earlier reported exclusively that a 25-year-old protester suffered around 20 pellet wounds during the July 20 Parliament march. Medical records accessed by India Today showed pellet injuries on his back and elbow. India Today had also reported that another protester suffered a serious eye injury during the protest.
The reports came after allegations that pellet guns had been used to disperse protesters, with Delhi Police denying the use of pellet guns.
But when asked about reports of pellet gun use, Rijiju questioned how many people would have been injured if such weapons had been used during a protest involving thousands of people.
“Pellet guns have multiple pellets; they are not a single bullet. If only one person has been hit, then we will also have to see how that happened. In such a large protest, where thousands of people were present, if pellet guns had been used, how many people would have been injured?” he said.
Rijiju was also asked about petitions pending in the Supreme Court over the alleged use of pellet guns. He said the court would first examine the matter and that nothing could be said at this stage.
“There are petitions in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court will first investigate. We cannot say anything about this at the moment,” he said.
Rijiju also referred to the use of pellet guns in Kashmir during previous Congress governments. “Pellet guns were used in Kashmir during the Congress period. Pellet guns were used at several places during the Congress regime,” he said.
When asked about reports of pellet injuries among protesters, Rijiju again referred to the size of the gathering and questioned how many people would have been injured if pellet guns had been used.
“As I said, if 4,000-5,000 people are sitting somewhere and protesting, and pellet guns are fired, how many people would get injured? At least 300-400 people?” he said during the interview.
Rijiju also defended the police response to the Parliament March, pointing to the size of the gathering.
“Thirty to 40 thousand people came together during the Parliament March protest. The police managed the protest well. If 30,000-40,000 people are marching towards Parliament, isn’t it the police’s duty to stop them? Won’t the police have to use force to do so?” he said.
The Opposition had repeatedly demanded an explanation from the government over the police action during the July 20 protest and sought Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement in Parliament.
The government, meanwhile, maintained that it was ready to discuss the issue. Rijiju had said Shah was prepared to give a detailed reply on the student protests, provided the Opposition allowed Parliament to function.
The issue remained part of the wider confrontation that marked the Monsoon Session, which ended on August 13 after repeated disruptions.
Rijiju’s comments came after the session had concluded, with the government continuing to defend the police response to the protest and the Opposition maintaining its allegations of excessive force.
The minister said the government was ready to discuss the concerns raised by the Opposition and respond to them in Parliament.
– Ends
Published On:
Aug 14, 2026 14:49 IST
