BJP politicising Jharkhand students’ stir, brought outsiders to disrupt protests: Cong

The Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of politicising the students' agitation over alleged examination irregularities in Jharkhand and alleged that the party had brought people from other states to disrupt a peaceful protest in Ranchi.

Four Congress ministers — Radha Krishna Kishore, Shilpy Neha Tirkey, Dipika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari — made the allegations at a press conference in Ranchi.

Kishore alleged that BJP workers from outside Jharkhand were brought to the state to disrupt the students' protest on August 10.

“The BJP brought people from other states to disrupt the students' peaceful protest in Ranchi on August 10 over exam irregularities. We urge Chief Minister Hemant Soren to ensure that each such BJP worker is identified and strong action is taken against them,” Kishore said.

He further alleged that the BJP's state leadership was acting at the Centre's behest and claimed that the assembly gherao in Ranchi was not part of the students' original protest agenda.

The Congress also accused the BJP of being involved in an "exam mafia" and alleged that the party was opposing the CID investigation into paper leaks because it feared that the probe could expose those involved.

The ministers argued that a CBI inquiry would instead work in favour of the Centre.

Singh claimed that the Jharkhand government had begun taking action over alleged examination irregularities before the students' protests started.

Citing figures on examination-related cases, she alleged that 152 paper leaks had taken place across the country since 2015 under BJP rule, but that the CBI had investigated only 17 such cases, with no convictions.

She cited the NEET-UG 2024, UGC-NET 2024, SSC-CGL 2017, JEE Main 2021 and West Bengal SSC 2016 cases as examples where CBI investigations had not produced the desired outcome, according to the Congress.

On the Haryana Judicial Services 2017 case, Singh said the conviction was secured by a state-constituted Special Investigation Team rather than the CBI.

The Congress leaders also defended the Jharkhand government's handling of the protests and rejected allegations of excessive police action.

Tirkey asserted that no force had been used against the protesting students in Jharkhand and contrasted the government's response with the BJP's previous tenure in the state.

She also credited Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' campaign with helping raise awareness among young people and encouraging students to participate in such movements.

“This awareness is now giving students the courage to step forward and participate in these movements, asserted Tirkey.

“Even at Jantar Mantar during the NEET protests, Rahul Gandhi was present to boost the morale and courage of the students,” she said.

The Congress's allegations came amid continuing political tensions over the recruitment examination controversy in Jharkhand, with the BJP backing the protesting students and the ruling coalition defending its steps to address their grievances.