Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit back at Union Minister Kiren Rijiju over his claim that no student suffered serious injuries during the student protests in Delhi last month, saying he had personally met injured protesters.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha also alleged that police used pellet guns and lathis studded with nails against students during the July 20 march towards Parliament.

Gandhi shared a video of Kiren Rijiju’s remarks on X and questioned the government’s account of the police action during the protests.

“Ministers of the Modi government are saying that ‘the Delhi Police should be praised’. Half a kilometre from Parliament, pellet guns were fired at peaceful students, lathis studded with nails were used, one child’s eye was lost, one girl’s ear was severed. Should we praise this brutality?” Gandhi said in his post.

The Congress leader said he had met several injured students himself and claimed that videos of the police action had been widely viewed.

Rahul Gandhi attacks Centre over student protests

Gandhi accused the government of trying to deny what protesters allegedly experienced during the July 20 demonstration.

“The fundamental mantra of this government is untruth and violence,” he alleged, adding that attempts to deny the injuries would not change what had happened.

He further said, “Don’t lie to the children of this country. They have eyes and memories too.”

The July 20 protest involved students marching towards Parliament while demanding the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

What Kiren Rijiju said about the protests

Rijiju, who holds the Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs portfolios, defended the handling of the protests and said the Delhi Police and administration deserved praise.

During an interview with a news agency, Rijiju said no person had died during the protest and claimed that no protester suffered a broken bone or was admitted to hospital with a serious injury.

“Not a single person died, not a single person suffered a broken bone. Not a single protester is admitted to the hospital with a serious injury,” he said.

Rijiju also alleged that people associated with various political groups had joined the protest and contributed to tensions.

He said the police acted only when protesters attempted to march towards Parliament and maintained that the administration handled the situation peacefully.

“In this case, one ought to praise the Delhi Police and the administration,” the minister said, arguing that no death or serious injury had occurred despite the scale of the demonstration.

Rahul Gandhi questions police action

Responding to Rijiju’s remarks, Gandhi questioned how the police action could be praised while alleging that protesters had sustained serious injuries.

His allegations about pellet firing, nail-studded lathis and specific injuries were presented by him as part of his criticism of the government’s account of the protest.

Rijiju, however, maintained that the Delhi Police did not use lathis during the protest and rejected the suggestion that the police response resulted in serious injuries.

The two accounts remain sharply at odds over the nature and severity of injuries suffered during the July 20 student protest.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday criticised Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the controversy surrounding the rendition of Vande Mataram at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Independence Day.

Sarma questioned how the Congress would govern if it returned to power, alleging that the conduct of its senior leaders during the national song had raised concerns.

“During Vande Mataram, the way Sonia Gandhi behaved and the song was stopped midway clearly indicates that if Congress mistakenly comes to power, the country will face a worse situation,” Mr Sarma said.

The Assam Chief Minister also accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of encouraging protests in the name of Gen Z.

“Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have almost taken a decision to oppose the country in the name of Gen Z. They are provoking people to protest and trying hard to create a bad environment in the country,” he said.

Sarma further alleged that such actions could contribute to instability in the country.

“I am not bothered about these things, but these people are working against the country and provoking the people of the country to protest and bring anarchy,” he said.

What triggered the Vande Mataram controversy

The political row erupted after footage from the Congress Independence Day programme on August 15 surfaced on social media. The video showed senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, during the rendition of Vande Mataram.

BJP leaders have interpreted gestures seen in the footage as an attempt to interrupt the national song. The Congress, however, has rejected that interpretation.

The issue has since become a political flashpoint, with BJP leaders accusing the Congress of disrespecting Vande Mataram.

A complaint seeking action against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the alleged disruption is also being examined by the Delhi Police.

The BJP’s new 64-member team of national office bearers brings together former chief ministers, sitting MPs, women leaders and representatives from different social and regional groups as the party prepares for the 2029 Lok Sabha election.

The team, headed by BJP national president Nitin Nabin, includes three former chief ministers, 18 sitting MPs and 10 women leaders. More than 40 per cent of the members belong to deprived communities, according to the details of the appointments.

Northeast gets special focus

The new organisational team includes leaders from 23 states and Union Territories, giving the party’s national leadership a broad geographical representation.

The Northeast has received particular attention, with three leaders from Tripura, Assam and Nagaland included in the team. The BJP’s North-East Coordination Cell will also continue to function under the leadership of Sambit Patra.

The team includes four tribal representatives, with one each from West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and the Northeast. Two of these representatives are women.

Three members from Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh represent the Scheduled Castes in the new team.

Representation across communities

The BJP’s national office bearers also include 10 experienced women leaders from different parts of the country.

The team has representation from different religious communities, including one Sikh, two Christians, one Muslim, one Jain and one Parsi member, alongside Hindu leaders.

Former chief ministers and MPs add experience

The organisational team brings considerable administrative and political experience, with former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb among the members.

Four leaders with previous experience in the Union government and one sitting Union minister are also part of the team.

The new national office bearers include 18 sitting Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, bringing legislative experience and their connection with constituencies to the organisation.

Professionals and younger leaders add to the team

The team also brings together people from varied professional and academic backgrounds. It includes two professors, four practising doctors, as well as PhD holders, engineers, chartered accountants and lawyers.

The appointments to various Morchas are expected to bring organisational experience, fresh energy and domain expertise to the BJP’s national team.