NEW DELHI: Demand from opposition MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, that a parliamentary committee take up the issue of use of “excessive” force against protesting students led to a fiery exchange at its meeting on Tuesday as a BJP member brought up the “glorification” of anti-Sikh riots convict Sajjan Kumar to counter the Congress’s move to raise a matter that was not part of the agenda of “crimes against children”.Sources said Congress MP Ajay Maken had written to parliamentary committee on home affairs chairperson and BJP MP Radha Mohan Das Agrawal on Aug 5 saying the discussion should include the allegations against the Delhi Police that its personnel used pellet guns and nail-fitted batons against protesting students during their march to Parliament on July 20. As the committee met, Maken raised the issue and was supported by a number of other opposition MPs, including Priyanka and Senta UBT’s Sanjay Raut. They said the Delhi Police chief should be asked to appear before the committee, insisting that the issue fell within the ambit of crimes against children.Agrawal said the matter is sub judice. With opposition MPs pressing their demand, BJP MP Tarun Chugh said that if members are allowed to raise issues not on the agenda, then he would like the committee to take up the alleged glorification of a Sikh-riots convict, a reference to former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar who died last week while serving his sentence.
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Chugh’s remarks drew a sharp reaction from Congress MP Jai Prakash, who said the issue was not relevant at all. BJP has accused Congress MP Deepender Hooda of being laudatory in his tribute to Kumar. Hooda has rejected the charge. Agrawal managed to restore order while ruling out a discussion on issues not on the agenda, even as he added that the committee would take up at a later date the issue of SOPs for the use of force against protesters.
