Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the Jharkhand government's use of force against students protesting recruitment-exam irregularities on Monday.
The incident highlights growing tension between the state government and youth over allegations of systemic corruption in civil service examinations. The protesters are demanding the cancellation of the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination and a CBI probe into alleged paper leaks [4].
Gandhi said the use of force against students is wrong. He said that the Jharkhand government must continue to hear these students out and resolve their issues immediately [1].
The protests took place in Ranchi outside the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly [3]. Demonstrators faced police tactics including water cannons, tear-gas shells, and lathi-charges [5].
Among the protesters, Devendra Nath Mahto led a hunger strike that lasted nine days [3]. During this period, Mahto lost 10.5 kg [3].
The crackdown occurred under the administration of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. While Gandhi criticized the response, some reports indicate that other members of the Congress party had previously lauded the government's handling of the situation [2].
The students maintain that the recruitment process was compromised by fraud. They have called for immediate government intervention to ensure the integrity of the JPSC and JSSC exams [4].
“"The Jharkhand government must continue to hear these students out and resolve their issues immediately."”
This friction creates a political challenge for the JMM-led government, as it faces pressure from its own coalition partners and youth voters. The demand for a CBI probe suggests a lack of trust in state-level investigative agencies to handle recruitment fraud, potentially turning a local administrative failure into a larger regional political crisis.
