Rahul Gandhi accuses Centre of lying on pellet use in CJP protest
Synopsis
Rahul Gandhi stood before cameras with a hospitalised 19-year-old student and lifted his T-shirt to show alleged pellet wounds — a direct, visceral challenge to the government’s denial that pellets were fired during the CJP’s Chalo Sansad march. With the RAF under scrutiny and an eye injury whose outcome remains uncertain, the controversy is far from over.
Key Takeaways
Rahul Gandhi on 24 July accused the Centre of “speaking lies” over pellet gun use during the CJP’s Chalo Sansad march at Jantar Mantar .
Victim Sahil , 19 , allegedly suffered pellet injuries to his face, right arm, upper body , and right eye on 20 July ; his vision in the right eye remains uncertain.
Gandhi presented Sahil’s wounds to the press as ‘visual proof’ of a police crackdown, contradicting official denials.
The alleged firing is attributed to Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel; the RAF has reportedly begun an internal verification exercise.
Opposition demands include removal of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan , action against those responsible, and an apology from PM Narendra Modi .
Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday, 24 July accused the Centre of “speaking lies” over the alleged use of pellet guns against students who marched under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Gandhi appeared before the press alongside Sahil, a 19-year-old pellet-gun victim, presenting what he called “visual proof” of a police crackdown on peaceful demonstrators.
The Alleged Crackdown
Sahil reportedly sustained injuries to his face, right arm, upper body, and right eye during the CJP’s ‘Chalo Sansad’ march on 20 July and was subsequently hospitalised. Gandhi lifted the victim’s T-shirt to display the alleged pellet wounds to reporters, stating: “The government has been denying that pellets were fired. But here is the proof.”
Gandhi further alleged that Sahil was struck by pellets while waving the national flag. “Pellets hit my brother while he was waving the national flag. He cannot see from his right eye as pellets have hit it. There is uncertainty over whether he will regain his vision,” Gandhi told reporters.
What the Government Is Accused Of
The Congress leader charged that the Centre has consistently deflected questions about pellet use rather than addressing them directly. He described the crackdown as an attempt to “crush peaceful dissent,” while asserting that the protest movement remains “steadfast in its goal and purpose” despite the alleged police action.
The alleged firing is attributed to personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF). According to reports, the RAF has initiated an internal verification exercise into the allegations, with multiple accounts pointing to pellet use during the Delhi demonstration.
Opposition Demands
Gandhi reiterated a three-point demand on behalf of students and the broader Opposition bloc: the removal of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, punitive action against those responsible for injuring students, and a formal apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He described these demands as “firm and non-negotiable.”
Targeting Pradhan directly, Gandhi said: “The man who is responsible for the education system must be sacked. Dharmendra Pradhan is a criminal Education Minister. He must go.”
Broader Context
The alleged use of pellet guns has snowballed into a significant political controversy, drawing scrutiny over police conduct during civilian demonstrations. Notably, pellet guns have a fraught history in Indian crowd-control operations, most prominently in Jammu and Kashmir, where their use against protesters drew widespread criticism and legal challenges. Their reported deployment in Delhi against student marchers has sharpened calls for accountability. The situation is expected to intensify pressure on the government as Parliament is in session.
Point of View
It normalises a crowd-control method whose human cost in Kashmir took years to surface in public discourse. The demand for an apology from the Prime Minister is political theatre, but the demand for RAF accountability is not.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Rahul Gandhi allege about the CJP protest crackdown?
Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Centre has been ‘speaking lies’ by denying that pellet guns were used against students during the CJP’s Chalo Sansad march at Jantar Mantar on 20 July. He presented 19-year-old victim Sahil, who reportedly suffered pellet injuries including to his right eye, as direct evidence of the crackdown.
Who is Sahil and what injuries did he sustain?
Sahil is a 19-year-old student who allegedly sustained pellet injuries to his face, right arm, upper body, and right eye during the CJP march on 20 July in New Delhi. He was subsequently hospitalised, and according to Rahul Gandhi, there is uncertainty over whether he will regain vision in his right eye.
What are the Opposition’s demands following the incident?
The Opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi, has demanded the removal of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, punitive action against those who injured students, and a formal apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gandhi described these demands as ‘firm and non-negotiable.’
What is the Rapid Action Force’s role in the controversy?
The alleged pellet firing has been attributed to Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel deployed during the Delhi protest. According to reports, the RAF has initiated an internal verification exercise into the allegations, with multiple accounts pointing to pellet use during the demonstration.
What is the CJP’s Chalo Sansad march?
The Chalo Sansad march was a student demonstration organised under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on 20 July. The march was part of a broader student agitation whose demands include changes to the education ministry’s leadership and policy direction.
