Home Minister Amit Shah ready to respond to student protest matter, Opposition must listen peacefully: Rijiju
Decision follows Opposition's stand at Lok Sabha Business Advisory Committee meeting that no work would be transacted without Shah's reply
After prolonged Opposition protests and demands for accountability over the police assault on Jantar Mantar protesters, the government on Monday said Union Home Minister Amit Shah will respond to the issue in the Lok Sabha, provided the Opposition maintains peace and decorum and listens to his reply.
The decision came after the united Opposition, at the Lok Sabha Business Advisory Committee meeting, said no work would be transacted unless Shah responded. The Opposition also demanded a debate on the alleged Ram Mandir donation theft.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed the development. “Government is ready for a full discussion on student protests and related matters. My only submission is they should listen to the reply of Home Minister peacefully without disturbing the House. That is the government offer to the Opposition,” Rijiju said.
He said the offer of the Home Minister's reply to the debate on the Jantar Mantar protest and related issues stood, provided the Opposition maintained decorum in the House.
“We have said it clearly that Home Minister Amit Shah will not only give statement, he will also be replying to the discussion. We have said in the BAC meeting, the government is ready to have full-fledged discussion on student movements, ready to reply to all the points, but the opposition should not disrupt. We have given our offer,” said Rijiju.
He said the Congress, Samajwadi Party, the Opposition had some differences and should sort them out. “We are ready for discussion. On Ram Mandir issue, SIT formed by UP government is already working,” he added.
#WATCH | On govt saying HM ready to reply on students' protest, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi says, "I have not seen what he has said, but what the information I'm getting and what we have discussed in our different meetings, is specifically the Home Minister's statement on the police… pic.twitter.com/UOzb5VbRf6
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2026
The government appealed for the House to run smoothly and sought passage of Bills on mines and minerals and cooperatives. Both Bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The Opposition demanded that both Bills be sent to parliamentary panels for greater scrutiny and that Shah respond to the use of police force against student protesters on July 20.
The Congress has been seeking Shah's resignation over the matter, saying the Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force, which admitted to using pellet guns on protesters, report to Shah.
Later, when the Lok Sabha convened at 2 pm, the Congress-led Opposition was again seen sloganeering, with presiding officer Jagdambika Pal urging them to maintain discipline for the government to respond to the student protest issue.
“Parliamentary Affairs Minister had said Home Minister is ready to respond but the Opposition has to maintain peace and decorum,” Pal said amid aggressive sloganeering by the Congress.
The House was adjourned for the day after passing the Tribunal Reforms Bill, piloted by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The Bill was passed within 10 minutes of the Lok Sabha reconvening at 2 pm after daylong disruptions.
