Congress urges parliamentary probe of CAPF actions in West Bengal and Delhi protests

Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, led by chairman Radha Mohan Das, have been urged by Congress MP Ajay Maken to scrutinize the conduct of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in West Bengal after the state assembly election results were announced on May 4, and to address allegations that the Rapid Action Force used pellet guns on student demonstrators at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in July. The letter also seeks a review of the CAPF (General Administration) Act, 2026, which was passed on April 9 without committee referral and alters the command hierarchy, reserving senior posts for deputation and giving the rules supremacy over court orders.

Earlier, Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien asked the committee to examine the deployment of more than 240,000 CAPF personnel during the polls and the subsequent presence of around 70,000 troops, citing over 70 Trinamool leaders detained and reports of custodial deaths after the BJP assumed power. Congress ties these concerns together, arguing that the same lack of oversight permits police forces to use force against citizens under unclear orders.

The committee had previously promised to discuss the pellet-gun issue on August 25, but that debate has not yet occurred. Congress warns that without parliamentary action, one outlet practices could become the norm across states.