Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday criticised the use of force against students protesting alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations, saying peaceful protest is a democratic right and that dialogue, not coercion, should guide the government’s response.
“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 in a post on X. He urged the Jharkhand government to “hear these students out and resolve their issues immediately.”
His remarks came after police used water cannons, tear gas shells, and lathis to disperse job aspirants marching towards the Jharkhand Assembly on Monday morning. The protest, now in its 17th day, saw thousands of students from across the state demanding reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
The demonstration began around 10.30 a.m. from the old Assembly building and coincided with Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s 51st birthday. Protesters breached barricades and clashed with police as they approached the Assembly complex. Several students were injured in the ensuing lathi‑charge. “My head and legs are hurting, and my head is bleeding,” said protester Sanjay Mahto, who was treated after the clash.
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Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a nine‑day hunger strike, joined the march in an ambulance carrying a portrait of former chief minister Shibu Soren. He accused the government of suppressing the movement through excessive policing. “The government is hell‑bent on silencing our voice. We will not hold any talks now,” Mahto said.
The administration had earlier held multiple rounds of discussions with student representatives, but the deadlock persisted. Protesters said the government agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they wanted scrapped. Anger grew after barbed‑wire barricades were installed along the protest route.
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Gandhi’s statement assumes political significance as Jharkhand is governed by the INDIA bloc alliance of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, and Left parties. The BJP has repeatedly criticised Gandhi for his “silence” on the issue, arguing that the Congress should hold its ally accountable for the police action.
At a press briefing later in the day, Gandhi expanded his criticism to recent police crackdowns on student protests in Delhi and Bihar. He demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah clarify whether he had authorised the use of pellet guns and assault rifles during demonstrations over examination irregularities.
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In a column published in The Hindu titled “Either Culpable or Incompetent,” Gandhi wrote that the Home Minister had neither ordered an inquiry nor issued a statement about the July 20 police action in Delhi, where protesters were reportedly attacked with tear gas, nail‑studded lathis, and pellet guns.
“The government must be accountable for how it treats its youth,” Gandhi said, adding that the right to protest peacefully “cannot be met with violence.”
As the Jharkhand agitation continues, student leaders have vowed to escalate their movement until all demands are met. The episode has widened the debate over the handling of youth protests across states, placing both the Soren government and the Centre under scrutiny for their responses to public dissent. 
