Earlier speaking in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi trained guns at Home Minister Amit Shah blaming him for the crackdown on the protesters.New Delhi:

The government has hit back at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's charge that Home Minister Amit Shah ordered firing at the student protesters in Delhi last week.

Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh lashed out at Rahul Gandhi saying he lacked administrative knowledge. 

Contesting Gandhi's claim that Amit Shah ordered police to fire at the protesters, Singh said that only a magistrate or an SDM can give such an order.

"Leader of Opposition has no idea of how administration works. Orders to open fire in any situation can only be given by a magistrate and not by any minister," Singh said in the Lok Sabha.

Signh also clarified that no shots were fired on the protesters. "It was repeatedly clarified that no shots were fired; tear gas was used. Since no shots were fired, the question of issuing an order does not arise. The authority to issue such an order rests with the magistrate, not the minister," he stated.

Earlier speaking in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on the new law to curb paper leaks, Rahul Gandhi trained guns at the home minister blaming him for the crackdown on the protesters.

Alleging that Shah "ordered" the attacks on students, Gandhi said: "The Home Minister now doesn't have the courage to face Parliament and speak on the assault of students." 

He was countered by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju who urged Gandhi not to make "allegations" against the Home Minister.

Rijiju demanded that Gandhi apologise for his allegations against Shah. "Where is the proof that Amit Shah ordered the attack on students?" Rijiju asked Gandhi.

Later speaking outside Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said: "I have simply asked a question. There can only be two possibilities. Either the Home Minister ordered the firing, or he was unaware that the firing was taking place. In the first case, he is culpable. In the second, he is incompetent. There cannot be a third possibility. If the Home Minister did not know that firing was taking place, it means he is incompetent. Otherwise, he ordered it, in which case he is culpable. That is the only point I am making. It is a matter of simple logic. Also, he has not come to the House. Why is he not coming? He is supposedly the brave Home Minister of India. If he did not issue any order, then he should come and clarify that he did not. In any case, the larger issue is that I have the right to speak in Parliament, and I should be allowed to exercise that right."

Rahul's charge and government's fierce counters resulted in ruckus in the House, with Lok Sabha witnessing repeated adjournments. 

The anti-paper leak bill was later passed amid opposition sloganeering with a voice vote.