Kapil Sibal Hits Back at Kiren Rijiju Over Remarks on Protests

Former Union minister Kapil Sibal responded on Friday to remarks made by Union minister Kiren Rijiju regarding protests under previous administrations. Sibal stated that the Congress-led government had never used pellet guns or lathi-charges against demonstrators, contrasting it with the current administration.

Background on Social Media Exchange

The verbal exchange followed a social media post by Rijiju, who shared a 2011 video clip of Sibal addressing a press conference during the India Against Corruption movement. In the video, Sibal had stated that the right to protest does not include the right to choose the location. Rijiju criticized Sibal and questioned whether new laws governing protests had been introduced since the BJP came to power in 2014.

Sibal's Response in New Delhi

During a press conference in New Delhi, Sibal defended past UPA approaches to demonstrations and raised questions about Rijiju's legal and parliamentary background.

• Protest Rights: Sibal asserted that Cabinet discussions during his tenure acknowledged protests as a constitutional right that should not be interfered with.
• Parliamentary Handling: Sibal criticized the management of parliamentary affairs, alleging that the opposition's voice is restricted and bills are passed without adequate discussion.
• Security Force Actions: Challenging Rijiju's claims, Sibal stated that security forces under the UPA did not resort to pellet guns or lathi-charges against demonstrators.

Context of Recent Protests

The discourse references earlier demonstrations in Delhi on July 20, where student protesters marching toward Parliament clashed with security forces amid controversy over the NEET-UG paper. Reports and accusations emerged regarding the use of pellet guns by the Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force to disperse crowds before the demonstrations concluded following the resignation of then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 25.