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New Delhi: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday criticised the use of force against protesting students in Jharkhand,
calling for dialogue between the government and the agitating aspirants. "The use of force against students protesting in Jharkhand is wrong. Students have a right to peaceful protest, and only dialogue can yield solutions. The Jharkhand government must continue to hear these students out and resolve their issues immediately," Gandhi posted on X.
झारखंड में विरोध-प्रदर्शन कर रहे छात्रों के ख़िलाफ़ बल का इस्तेमाल ग़लत है।
छात्रों को शांतिपूर्ण विरोध का अधिकार है और बातचीत से ही समाधान निकल सकता है।
झारखंड सरकार को इन छात्रों की बात सुननी चाहिए और हर समस्या का तुरंत समाधान करना चाहिए।
The use of force against students…— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 10, 2026
His remarks came as thousands of JPSC-JSSC aspirants marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi on Monday, intensifying their weeks-long agitation over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. Police used water cannons, tear gas and lathi-charge after protesters breached barricades during the march. Several protesters claimed they were injured in the police action.
Why Are Jharkhand Students Protesting?
The students have been protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
Among their key demands are cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, an independent probe into alleged irregularities and changes to the recruitment process. Students have also demanded that the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination be scrapped.
The agitation entered its 17th day on Monday. The protesters had announced a ‘Vidhan Sabha Gherao’ after multiple rounds of talks with the state government failed to produce a breakthrough.
Talks Fail As Students Insist On CBI Probe
The standoff between the government and the protesters had intensified ahead of Monday’s Assembly march.
The government maintained that it had accepted nearly 98 per cent of the protesters’ demands. Student leaders, however, rejected that claim, saying their principal demand for a CBI probe into the alleged examination irregularities remained unresolved.
Several students have also been on an indefinite hunger strike as part of the agitation.
Police Action During Assembly March
The situation escalated on Monday when protesters marching towards the Assembly breached multiple barricades.
Police deployed water cannons and tear gas and later resorted to lathi-charge near Jagannathpur Temple as protesters attempted to advance towards the Assembly.
Earlier in the day, student leader Ravindra Paswan had said the protesters would conduct the march peacefully and in a constitutional manner.
Ex-JPSC Chief Arrested Amid Student Agitation
The protest also coincided with a major development in the recruitment examination controversy.
Jharkhand CID on Monday arrested former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. The 1988-batch IAS officer had resigned as JPSC chairperson on July 22.
"We have arrested former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte in connection with irregularities in recruitment examinations," Additional Director General (CID) Manoj Kaushik told PTI.
Khiangte had reportedly been questioned four times since July 28. His arrest came a day after all three JPSC members resigned amid the continuing controversy.
Rahul Gandhi Had Earlier Called For Government Action
Gandhi's latest remarks are not his first intervention on the Jharkhand student agitation.
Last week, during an online question-and-answer session, he said governments must listen to students and take steps to reform the education system, explicitly including the Jharkhand government.
His latest statement came after Monday's police action during the Assembly march, putting renewed political focus on the handling of the student agitation.
BJP Hits Back At Rahul Gandhi
The Congress leader's comments also drew a response from the BJP.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi accused Gandhi and the Congress of adopting a "double standard" on student issues, while BJP leaders in Jharkhand also staged protests demanding a CBI probe into the alleged recruitment irregularities.
The Jharkhand student agitation now faces a critical juncture, with protesters continuing to demand an independent probe while the state government maintains that substantial progress has already been made on their demands.
