Rahul Gandhi’s intervention comes as the BJP targets the Congress over the student agitation in Jharkhand, where the JMM-led government is backed by the Congress.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday criticised the use of force against protesting students in Jharkhand, urging the state government to address their grievances through dialogue rather than police action.
Gandhi’s intervention came amid a political row over the student agitation and BJP criticism that the Congress leader had remained silent despite the protests taking place in a state governed by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), a Congress ally in the INDIA bloc.
“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 continue engaging with the protesters and resolve their concerns without delay.
The statement followed a tense confrontation between police and job aspirants in Ranchi earlier in the day. Police used water cannons, tear gas and lathis after protesters broke through barricades while attempting to move towards the Jharkhand Assembly.
न प्रधानमंत्री मोदी, न गृह मंत्री अमित शाह में हिम्मत है कि वो संसद में आकर हमारे छात्रों पर हुई बर्बरता पर जवाब दें।
भारत के छात्रों के लिए यह एक साफ़ संदेश है – उन्हें नहीं लगता कि आप पर हुई हिंसा उनकी किसी टिप्पणी के भी लायक है। pic.twitter.com/y3Xjh1APud
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 10, 2026
READ: NSCN (I-M) Burns Kuki Village in Manipur, Sending Peace Bid Up in Smoke
The students have been protesting alleged irregularities and paper leaks in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
The agitation has entered its third week, with protesters demanding stronger action against those responsible for alleged examination irregularities and seeking, among other measures, a CBI probe.
Gandhi’s remarks also come against the backdrop of a broader political confrontation over student protests and the government’s handling of recruitment examinations. The Ranchi crackdown has drawn comparisons with police action during student demonstrations in Delhi last month, when protesters seeking action over examination-related grievances attempted to march towards Parliament.
The Jharkhand government has maintained that it is willing to engage with the protesters and has claimed to have accepted a large majority of their demands. However, the students have continued their agitation, arguing that key concerns remain unresolved.
With the BJP attacking the ruling alliance over the police action and the Congress leader now publicly calling for dialogue, the student agitation has acquired an added political dimension even as negotiations remain the preferred route to resolving the dispute.
