Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by pellet victim 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others, addresses the media as he stages a dharna seeking the registration of an FIR over pellet injuries suffered by a youth during the CJP-led July 20 protest, at Parliament Street police station, in New Delhi, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary)
New Delhi: As Rahul Gandhi staged a dharna at a police station here, the Congress on Friday accused the BJP of communalising the situation in the country, evading accountability and raising non-issues.
The opposition party asserted that the dharna would continue till an FIR is registered by Delhi Police over pellet injuries suffered by a youth, 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, during the CJP-led July 20 protest.
"Our demand is simple -- register an FIR and give us the FIR number. LoP Rahul Gandhi is giving voice to this demand," Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh told reporters at the Parliament Street police station.
"Sahil has demanded an FIR on the illegal action of using a pellet gun by the police. Rahul ji is clear that until a new FIR is registered, we will not leave from here," he said.
Ramesh said the Congress was acting according to the Constitution and was well within its right to protest peacefully.
Hitting out at the BJP, Ramesh said there is an attempt to communalise the situation, evade accountability, evade responsibility and raise non-issues.
"An Indian youth anguished by the paper leak in the Staff Selection Commission was protesting on July 20. He did not belong to any political party, he had no political affiliation and a pellet gun was used on him," Ramesh said.
Lochab lost sight in one eye and his entire body is riddled with pellet marks, he said.
"I don't see what in the law, what in the Constitution, what in the practice of good governance, prevents Delhi Police from registering an FIR in the case of Sahil," Ramesh said.
Gandhi sat on a dharna at the Parliament Street police station here seeking the registration of an FIR over pellet injuries suffered by Lochab during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led July 20 protest and said "brutality" against a peaceful protest is a "serious crime".
The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said neither Union Home Minister Amit Shah has offered an explanation on the use of pellet guns at the protest, nor has Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologised.
Gandhi, accompanied by Lochab, first visited the Mandir Marg police station and sought the registration of the FIR. After his demand was not accepted, he went to the Parliament Street police station and met Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sachin Sharma.
After the discussion with Sharma failed to yield results, the Congress leader, along with Lochab, sat on a dharna at the police station, which also houses the DCP office.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Ramesh and other senior party leaders also joined the dharna.
Lochab suffered pellet injuries to the eyes and abdomen during the protest against the NEET paper leak and alleged examination irregularities, and later underwent surgery at the AIIMS Trauma Centre.
Sources said that Lochab went to police with his lawyers on August 14 and gave a written complaint, but no FIR was registered.
The matter was pursued again on August 17 through email and phone, but there was no acknowledgement from police. It was then that Lochab sought Gandhi's help and the Congress leader went with him to demand the registration of an FIR on his complaint, they said.
The DCP, however, did not give details of the case officer or the FIR number, the sources said.
The CJP-led agitation culminated in the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister on July 25.
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