BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said Rahul Gandhi was silent regarding alleged exam-rigging and police action against protesters in Jharkhand.
The dispute highlights a deepening political divide over administrative transparency and the treatment of youth protesters in India's eastern states. The BJP is framing the Congress leader's lack of response as a double standard in his approach to democratic protests.
Prasad's criticism began on Aug. 6, 2026 [1], focusing on the alleged hiring of a blacklisted firm to conduct JPSC and JSSC exams in Jharkhand. The BJP alleges that the exam process was compromised, yet Gandhi did not condemn the irregularities. This silence became a focal point for the ruling party, which said the opposition has a dual policy on the exam process.
The tension escalated following police intervention against youths protesting the alleged scam. On Aug. 11, 2026 [2], Prasad and other NDA members said Gandhi failed to speak out against the police action. The BJP leadership said Gandhi selectively chooses which protests to support based on political convenience.
Prasad described the situation as a "shameful day in history of Indian democracy" while addressing the issues in the Lok Sabha. The BJP's offensive expanded to include a full-scale attack on Gandhi over a Delhi dharna, linking the events in the capital to the unrest in Jharkhand.
The BJP maintains that the Congress party is ignoring the plight of students in Jharkhand despite claiming to champion the rights of the unemployed. The ruling party continues to demand a public statement from Gandhi regarding the blacklisted firm's role in the state's recruitment exams.
“Shameful day in history of Indian democracy”
This confrontation reflects a broader strategic effort by the BJP to paint the Congress party as inconsistent in its advocacy for youth rights. By linking the Jharkhand exam scandal to police action and Gandhi's silence, the ruling party aims to undermine the opposition's credibility as a champion for students and government employees ahead of regional political shifts.
