Protector or aggressor

Once again, the ruling BJP-led NDA government appears unwilling to accept responsibility for the consequences of its decisions. This was again proved when the Opposition MPs sought a debate on the alleged police brutalities of July 20. These were not stray accusations made in anger. They are claims supported by video footage, photographs and medical evidence, and they deserve to be examined in Parliament, not dismissed from above. Delhi Police functions directly under the Union Home Ministry, which is headed by Amit Shah. That makes the Ministry ultimately responsible for the conduct of the police and the RAF in the National Capital Territory. When serious allegations arise – including the use of lathi-charges, nail-studded batons, pellet guns, electric shock batons and the manhandling of women protesters -silence from the highest authority amounts to dereliction, not caution.This is not the first time such questions have been raised. After the February 2020 Delhi riots, Amnesty International accused the Delhi Police of serious human rights violations, including excessive force and complicity in violence, while also noting the absence of independent investigation. Six months later, the same pattern of impunity remained intact. No meaningful accountability followed. The July 20 protests show that little has changed. Despite mounting medical proof of pellet injuries and verified footage of unauthorized weapon modifications, the Home Ministry has offered no transparent inquiry, no magisterial probe and no judicial review into the breakdown of command. That is deeply alarming. A democracy cannot function when the police are shielded from scrutiny and the government refuses accountability. If the state believes its conduct was lawful, it should welcome investigation. If it does not, then Parliament must insist on answers. Silence is not governance; it is complicity. The events surrounding the July 20, 2026 protests expose a disturbing gap between official denials and verifiable evidence on the ground. Once again, the Delhi Police and the Press Information Bureau issued categorical dismissals, yet independent reporting, medical records and geolocated video footage tell a different story. Such contradictions have now surfaced repeatedly -from the 2020 anti-CAA protests and the Delhi riots to the latest demonstrations over the NEET paper leak- raising serious questions about accountability. During the July 20 protests called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), at least three people reportedly suffered severe pellet injuries. One Outlook reporter was struck on the backpack and arm, with medical documents confirming pellet damage. Alt News further geolocated multiple videos placing victims close to Rapid Action Force personnel armed with 12-bore non-lethal shotguns in firing positions. The Union Health Minister’s hospital visit to one of the injured only deepened the sense that the authorities were aware of the incident. Equally troubling were videos showing “fake” policemen with metadata and location verification. Reports of shock batons and the manhandling of women protesters further point to a pattern of excessive force and impunity. The events of July 20 should serve as a wake-up call for lawmakers and police leadership. It is time to enact laws and institutional reforms that psychologically prepare uniformed personnel to respond to protests with restraint, discipline, and sound judgment rather than knee jerk reactions. Police training must go beyond physical tactics to include stress management, crowd psychology, conflict de-escalation, and respect for constitutional rights. An emotionally prepared police force is less likely to resort to excessive force that escalates tensions and causes avoidable injuries, public outrage, and lasting damage to trust in law enforcement and democratic institutions.