Rahul Gandhi has condemned the use of force against students in Jharkhand and urged the state government to resolve their recruitment exam concerns through dialogue
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi condemned the use of force against students protesting in Ranchi over JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations. He said students have a right to peaceful protest and urged the Jharkhand government to address their demands.
New Delhi: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday condemned the use of force against students protesting in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
Gandhi said students have a right to peaceful protest and called for dialogue between the protesters and the Jharkhand government. His remarks came as police used water cannons, tear gas shells and lathi-charge during a student march towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi.
“The use of force against students protesting in Jharkhand is wrong. Students have a right to peaceful protest, and only dialogue can yield solutions,” Gandhi said in a post on X.
“The Jharkhand government must continue to hear these students out and resolve their issues immediately,” he added.
Also Read: PM Modi Wishes Hemant Soren on Birthday Amid Jharkhand Student Protest
The protest, which coincided with Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s 51st birthday, entered its 17th day on Monday. Students began their march from outside the old Assembly building at around 10.30 am and moved towards the state Assembly as part of their campaign over recruitment examination issues.
Rahul Gandhi Raises Jharkhand Student Protest
The Congress leader’s comments came amid criticism from the BJP over what it described as Gandhi’s silence on the student protest in Jharkhand. The Jharkhand government is led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which is an ally of the Congress in the INDIA bloc.
Gandhi’s statement put him on record opposing the use of force against the protesters while also asking the state government to continue discussions with the students.
The protesters are seeking comprehensive reforms in the functioning of the JPSC and JSSC. Their demands relate to alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations and the conduct of the examination system in the state.
The march intensified after protesters moved towards the Assembly premises and breached barricades placed along the route. Police responded with water cannons, tear gas shells and lathi-charge as security personnel attempted to prevent the demonstrators from advancing.
JPSC JSSC Protest Enters 17th Day
The students’ agitation has continued for 17 days over their demands concerning recruitment examinations.
The protesters have been seeking changes in the examination process and action on alleged irregularities. They have also demanded comprehensive reforms in JPSC and JSSC.
The government has held several rounds of talks with representatives of the demonstrators. However, the discussions have not resolved the dispute.
According to the protesters, the government has agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they want scrapped. The disagreement over the number of examinations to be cancelled has remained one of the issues in the talks.
Student leaders have said the government should address the wider concerns raised by aspirants rather than limit its response to a small number of examinations.
Devendra Nath Mahto Joins Ranchi Student March
Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for nine days over the issue, joined Monday’s march in an ambulance.
Mahto was seen carrying a portrait of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren during the demonstration.
Speaking about the barricades installed along the Assembly route, Mahto said students were angry over what they described as injustices related to the recruitment examination process.
“The government is hell-bent on suppressing our voice. We will not hold any talks now,” Mahto said.
The statement came after several rounds of discussions between government representatives and student leaders failed to produce an agreement on the protesters’ demands.
Mahto’s participation in the march came while he was continuing his hunger strike. Student leaders have maintained that the government must address their demands concerning JPSC and JSSC examinations.
Jharkhand Police Use Water Cannons and Tear Gas
The situation at the Assembly march escalated after protesters breached security barricades while moving towards the premises.
Police used water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. Security personnel also resorted to lathi-charge during the confrontation.
A protester, Sanjay Mahto, who said he was injured during the police action, spoke to news agency PTI about his condition.
“My head and legs are hurting, and my head is bleeding,” Sanjay Mahto told PTI.
The police action became a central part of the protest as students continued their march despite the security arrangements.
Barbed-wire barricades had been installed along the route to the Assembly, with security personnel deployed to restrict the protesters’ movement.
Rahul Gandhi Targets Centre Over Student Protests
Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the Jharkhand protest came alongside his criticism of the Centre over police action against students protesting in Delhi.
Gandhi has been demanding that Union Home Minister Amit Shah appear in Parliament and respond to questions concerning the alleged use of force against students during protests over examination irregularities.
In his remarks in Delhi, Gandhi said the Opposition was not asking Amit Shah to deliver a general speech in Parliament but wanted him to explain whether he authorised the use of force against protesting students.
“The question was always that Amit Shah has to make it clear who authorised the shooting of our youngsters in Delhi,” Gandhi said.
Gandhi referred to allegations that pellet guns were used against protesters and that students were beaten with lathis fitted with nails. He said the Home Minister should clarify whether he authorised the action.
According to Gandhi, if the Home Minister authorised the action, he should be held responsible, while if he was unaware of it, Gandhi argued that it would indicate a lack of competence.
“If he ordered it, he is guilty of getting our children shot. And if he didn't know about it happening, he's incompetent. Either way, he should go,” Gandhi said.
The Opposition has also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise over the developments referred to by Gandhi.
Gandhi additionally raised an allegation concerning the Ram Mandir and claimed that people close to the Prime Minister had stolen from the temple. The allegation was presented by Gandhi as one of the issues the Opposition wanted discussed in Parliament.
Rahul Gandhi Questions Amit Shah Over Delhi Action
Gandhi said the Opposition was seeking a direct response from Amit Shah on whether he authorised the use of force against students in Delhi.
“We are not interested in his fantasy conversations. We are interested in whether he authorised or didn't authorise the shooting of our children,” Gandhi said.
He said the Opposition had been raising the issue for the past 15 days and wanted the Home Minister to first clarify his position before any broader discussion.
The Opposition has linked its demand to the police action during a July 20 march towards Parliament by students protesting over examination-related issues.
In a column published in The Hindu, Gandhi described the issue in terms of whether the Home Minister was responsible for the action or had failed to respond to it.
Gandhi alleged that protesters were subjected to tear gas, beaten with lathis containing nails and fired upon with pellet guns. These claims were part of Gandhi’s criticism of the authorities’ response to the Delhi student protest.
Jharkhand Protest Adds to Examination Dispute
The developments in Jharkhand have added another state-level dimension to the political debate over recruitment examinations and protests by students.
Gandhi’s comments come as the BJP has criticised the Congress over its response to the Jharkhand agitation. The JMM-led government in Jharkhand includes the Congress as an alliance partner.
The student protest in Ranchi has continued despite multiple rounds of talks between government representatives and protesters. The students continue to demand reforms in JPSC and JSSC and action on the examinations they have challenged.
The use of force during Monday’s march has also become a point of political discussion, with Gandhi calling for peaceful protest and dialogue.
The Jharkhand government now faces continued demands from student representatives to resolve the dispute, while the protesters have indicated that their agitation will continue until their demands concerning recruitment examinations are addressed.
