New Delhi [India], August 10 (ANI): Congress leader and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday expressed concern over the police action against students protesting in Jharkhand, stating that the use of force against students is “wrong”.
In a post on X, the Congress leader emphasised that students have a fundamental right to peaceful protest and urged the Soren government to resolve their issues through dialogue.
“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.
Further calling upon the Jharkhand government to engage with the agitating students, the Congress MP stated that their grievances must be addressed immediately.
“The Jharkhand government must continue to hear these students out and resolve their issues immediately,” he added in his post.
Rahul Gandhi’s remarks came amid clashes between student protesters and police during the ‘Vidhan Sabha Gherao’ march in Ranchi today. The march was organised by the JPSC-JSSC Reform Morcha against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
Police used tear gas shells, water cannons and lathi charge after a section of protesters allegedly attempted to breach barricades while marching towards the Jharkhand Assembly.
Earlier today, while addressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi condemned violence against students participating in protests in Jharkhand over the alleged irregularities in the state recruitment exams, asserting that peaceful demonstrations should not be met with force.
Gandhi told reporters here, “My message is clear for the students of Jharkhand. We condemn any violence against peacefully protesting students. It does not matter where it is happening; we condemn it, we are against it, we do not recommend it, we do not support it. We are very clear; there is no confusion in our mind that attacking a peaceful protest with violence is wrong.”
Amid the ongoing ‘Vidhan Sabha Gherao’ march by JPSC-JSSC aspirants in Ranchi on Monday over alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations, student leader Devendra Nath Mahato, who has been on a hunger strike at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium here for the past nine days, said no representative from the Jharkhand government has come forward for talks with the protesters yet.
Jharkhand Minister Deepika Pandey Singh on Monday said that while the government respects the democratic right to protest, it must operate within the constitutional framework regarding the cancellation of examinations.
Addressing the situation, Minister Dipika Pandey Singh emphasised that the administration has been instructed to maintain law and order without the use of force. (ANI)
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