Former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticised Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi over the ongoing student protests in Jharkhand, accusing Gandhi of lacking facts and questioning his response to the police action against protesting students.
Pradhan made the remarks in a post on X on Tuesday. He stated, "Making baseless, fact less false accusations against the Honourable Home Minister Shri Amit Shah ji reveals the political desperation of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress. The government is ready for discussion in Parliament on every issue, but Congress is obstructing the temple of democracy 'Parliament House' and crushing the interests of the country and the youth. Because their intention is not the welfare of the country, but to prioritise their own interests first. When there is discussion in the House, these people create chaos outside, because they do not have the capacity to listen to answers in the House."
छात्रों के हितों को लेकर @INCIndia लगातार झूठ फैला रही है, @RahulGandhi के पास तथ्य नहीं है, आदतन झूठ बोलने वाले नेता प्रतिपक्ष को न संसद में आना है और न जवाब सुनना है। इन्हें तो बस अपना झूठ फैलाकर घड़ियाली आँसू बहाना है।
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) August 11, 2026
माननीय गृहमंत्री श्री @AmitShah जी पर बेवजह बिना किसी…
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The controversy centres on protests by JPSC-JSSC aspirants in Ranchi, who have been demanding action over alleged irregularities in the recruitment examinations and have sought a CBI probe into the matter.
The protests have intensified in recent days, with students attempting to march towards or lay siege to the Jharkhand Assembly. Police used lathi charge and tear gas to disperse the protesting students after barricades were breached, the Economic Times reported.
Student leader Devendra Nath Manto, who had been on a hunger strike, joined the Assembly march and appealed to Chief Minister Hemant Soren not to use force against the protestors.
Pradhan's criticism came amid a wider BJP attack on Rahul Gandhi over his stance on student protests. BJP leaders have questioned why Gandhi was vocal about the student protests in Delhi, while according to them, he is not intentionally speaking with the same force about the Jharkhand protests. BJP leaders have characterised this as selective outrage.
However, the claim that Rahul Gandhi has remained silent on the Jharkhand protests is not accurate as a current description of his position. Gandhi publicly condemned the use of force against the protesting students on August 10 and called for dialogue to resolve their grievances, NDTV reported.
The dispute comes amid a broader political confrontation over student protests in India, with the BJP accusing the Congress of selective support for youth movements while the Congress and other opposition leaders have criticised police action against protestors.
The Jharkhand protests have also received attention from activists and student groups outside the state. Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), extended support to the protesting students and spoke to them via video call, as reported by the Statesman.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's government has sought suggestions from the students on reforms to the state's recruitment examination system, although the deadlock between the government and the protestors continued, the New Indian Express reported.
ALSO READ: Sam Pitroda Reacts To Ranchi Protests: 'Students Are Not Enemy, They Are India's Future'
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