Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi-led Centre of preventing him from speaking in the Lok Sabha to shield Union Home Minister Amit Shah from questions over the alleged police action against students protesting against the NEET paper leak.Gandhi also demanded Shah’s resignation, saying the Home Minister must be held accountable for the alleged use of force on students.Addressing a press conference, Gandhi said he was repeatedly denied an opportunity to speak despite asking the Speaker to restore order in the House. He claimed other ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, were allowed to intervene while he was stopped from raising the issue.Gandhi said he was told he could continue only if he apologised for the remarks made against the Home Minister.”I will never apologise to the BJP, the RSS or anyone associated with them. It is my right as the Leader of Opposition to raise issues that matter to the country,” he said.Calling the assault on protesting students on July 20 in the national capital the “biggest issue before the nation”, Gandhi accused the government of unleashing excessive force on peaceful demonstrators. He alleged that students were fired upon with pellet guns, beaten with lathis, including those fitted with nails, and subjected to electric batons.Claiming to have examined the medical records of an injured student, Gandhi said one victim was likely to lose an eye after being hit by pellet shots. He also alleged that women and minors were assaulted and referred to videos purportedly showing a police officer slapping a minor.The Congress leader further alleged that facial recognition technology was being used to identify protesting students and claimed that members of the Bajrang Dal were being mobilised to intimidate them.Turning the focus directly on the Home Minister, Gandhi said there were only two possibilities. “Either Amit Shah authorised the action against students, or he had no knowledge of what was happening under his ministry. If he ordered it, he is responsible. If he did not know, he is unfit to hold office. In either case, Amit Shah must go,” he said.Gandhi also sought to link Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the episode, saying the Home Minister functioned under the Prime Minister’s authority. “Ultimately, Amit Shah takes his orders from the Prime Minister,” he said.Claiming he personally witnessed Shah monitoring the situation, Gandhi alleged that he saw the Home Minister speaking repeatedly with Delhi Police officers and Union Minister Jitendra Singh inside Parliament while the protests were under way.Rejecting the government’s stand that no pellet guns were used, Gandhi said he had met an injured student and spoken to the treating doctor, who confirmed the presence of pellet fragments. He said the government’s denial was contradicted by medical records.Referring to a letter he wrote to Shah on July 25, Gandhi said he had sought answers on whether the Home Minister had approved the alleged use of pellet guns and who authorised the deployment of plainclothes personnel seen assaulting students. He said he had received only an acknowledgement and no substantive reply.Questioning the Centre’s legislative response to paper leaks, Gandhi said the Bill introduced by the government failed to address the core problem. He added that the Opposition would continue to demand a statement from the Home Minister in Parliament.”He does not have the courage to come to Parliament because he knows he is responsible. We will not let him get away,” Gandhi said.Demanding an independent high-powered inquiry monitored by the Supreme Court, Gandhi alleged that the government was continuing to target students even after the protests. He asserted that the Congress had collected photographs, videos and other evidence and vowed that every officer found responsible for the alleged excesses would face accountability.”We will ensure every student gets justice. Those responsible will be punished. Amit Shah must resign,” Gandhi said.