Rahul Gandhi Condemns Police Action Against Jharkhand Students, Calls for Dialogue
Ranchi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday condemned the use of force against students protesting in Jharkhand, saying peaceful protest is a fundamental right and that dialogue is the way to resolve their concerns. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“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.
He urged the Jharkhand government to listen to the protesting students and resolve their concerns at the earliest.
Students Protest Recruitment Exam Irregularities
The statement came as job aspirants continued their protest against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
The protest entered its 17th day on Monday. The demonstrators marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly after gathering outside the old Assembly building at around 10.30 am.
Police used water cannons and tear gas and resorted to a lathi-charge after some protesters breached barricades and moved towards the Assembly premises.
The protesters are demanding comprehensive reforms in the state’s recruitment examination system.
Protester Injured During Police Action
Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a nine-day hunger strike over the issue, joined the march in an ambulance.
Mahto, who was seen carrying a portrait of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren, objected to the installation of barbed-wire barricades along the route.
He alleged that the government was attempting to suppress the students’ movement and said protesters were no longer willing to hold talks.
One protester, identified as Sanjay Mahto, told news agency PTI that he was injured during the police action.
“My head and legs are hurting, and my head is bleeding,” he said.
Talks Fail to Break Deadlock
The Jharkhand government has held several rounds of talks with the protesters, but the discussions have failed to end the deadlock.
According to the protesters, the government agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they want scrapped.
The students are continuing to demand wider changes to the recruitment process and action over alleged irregularities.
BJP Had Criticised Gandhi’s ‘Silence’
Gandhi’s remarks also came amid repeated criticism from the BJP over what it described as his silence on the Jharkhand student protests.
Jharkhand is governed by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which is an ally of the Congress in the INDIA bloc.
Gandhi’s intervention is therefore significant, as he has now publicly criticised the use of force while calling on the state government to engage with the protesters.
Gandhi Raises Student Protest Issue in Parliament Debate
Gandhi’s comments also come as the Opposition has been demanding accountability over police action against students protesting examination-related issues in Delhi and Bihar.
In a column published in The Hindu on Monday under the title “Either Culpable or Incompetent”, Gandhi questioned the government’s response to the police action during a July 20 student march towards Parliament.
He alleged that protesters were subjected to tear gas, lathi-charge and pellet-gun firing, and questioned why the Union Home Minister had not ordered an inquiry or issued a statement on the matter.
The Jharkhand protests remain ongoing, with students continuing to press for changes to the recruitment examination system and the resolution of their grievances.
