Opposition, BJP spar in Home Affairs panel over demand for discussion on Delhi protest crackdown

A Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting in India devolved into a political dispute after Opposition members attempted to discuss alleged police brutality during recent Delhi protests. The BJP chairperson blocked the discussion, citing the sub judice nature of the events.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing friction between the ruling party and the opposition regarding parliamentary oversight and the handling of civil unrest.
A heated exchange broke out in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) after Opposition members demanded a discussion on alleged police excesses during the July 20 protest in Delhi , including the alleged use of pellet guns.
The committee, chaired by BJP MP Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, was meeting to deliberate on the subject of 'Crime Against Children', with officials from four Ministries present for the discussion. However, minutes after the meeting commenced at 11 a.m., senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Maken raised a letter he had written to the chairperson earlier, seeking that all other agenda items be set aside to discuss what he described as the “excessive use of force” by the Delhi Police during last month’s youth-led protests in Jantar Mantar.
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