Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday condemned the use of force against students protesting irregularities in recruitment examinations in Jharkhand, saying students have a right to peaceful protest and that dialogue is the way to resolve the issue.

His remarks came as job aspirants marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi amid their ongoing agitation, which entered its 17th day. Police used water cannons, lobbed tear gas shells and lathi-charged job aspirants after they breached barricades and closed in on the Assembly premises.

Rahul Gandhi backs students’ right to protest

Rahul Gandhi said the use of force against protesting students in Jharkhand was wrong and urged the state government to continue listening to their concerns.

He said the students should be allowed to exercise their right to peaceful protest and called for dialogue to find a solution to the dispute.

Gandhi also urged the Jharkhand government to resolve the students’ issues immediately.

His statement came amid criticism from the BJP over his earlier silence on the students’ agitation in Jharkhand, where the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led government is backed by Congress, an ally in the INDIA bloc. 

Students march towards Jharkhand Assembly

The protest march began from outside the old Assembly building at around 10.30 am and coincided with Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s 51st birthday.

The agitators are demanding comprehensive reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) amid allegations of irregularities in recruitment examinations.

Police deployed water cannons and tear gas and carried out a lathi-charge after protesters breached barricades while approaching the Assembly premises.

Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a nine-day fast over the issue, also joined the march in an ambulance. He was seen carrying a portrait of former chief minister Shibu Soren.

Mahto objected to the installation of barbed-wire barricades along the route and said anger was brewing among students over what they described as injustices. 

Government talks fail to break deadlock

The Jharkhand government has held several rounds of talks with the protesters, but the discussions have not resolved the standoff.

The protesters have said that the government agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they want scrapped.

Mahto said the protesters would not hold talks with the government at this stage, alleging that the government was trying to suppress their voice. 

A protester, Sanjay Mahto, who said he was injured in the police lathi-charge, said his head and legs were hurting and that his head was bleeding.

Rahul Gandhi raises issue of student protests

Rahul Gandhi’s comments also come against the backdrop of the Opposition’s criticism of the Centre over police action during student protests in Delhi and Bihar.

In a newspaper column, Gandhi questioned the Union government’s response to the police crackdown during the July 20 march towards Parliament and sought accountability over the action against protesters.

The Jharkhand agitation continues amid the students’ demand for changes in the recruitment examination process and reforms in the state’s recruitment commissions.

The Jharkhand government on Sunday appealed to students protesting over irregularities in recruitment examinations to withdraw their agitation and resolve the issue through dialogue.

A government panel said it was unfortunate that the students remained unwilling to end their protest despite authorities agreeing to most of their demands. The students, however, have maintained that they will continue the agitation until their demand for a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities is accepted.

The panel comprising Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar, Rural Development Minister Dipika Pandey Singh, Labour Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav and Welfare Minister Chamra Linda addressed the media after a two-hour meeting.

Jharkhand government says ready for probes

Sudivya Kumar said the government had no intention of protecting anyone involved in alleged examination irregularities and was ready for investigations.

“It is unfortunate that students are not ready to withdraw the agitation, though we agreed to most of their demands,” Kumar said.

He appealed to the students and their parents to end the agitation and opt for dialogue to resolve the matter.

The government has also launched a portal inviting suggestions from students on examination reforms. Kumar said a Standard Operating Procedure would be prepared for conducting recruitment examinations transparently.

Security arrangements ahead of August 10 march

The panel said security arrangements had been made in view of the students’ planned march to the Jharkhand Assembly on August 10.

It also said steps would be taken to ensure that no student is harassed during the protest.

The students continued to press for a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities despite Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar assuring them of justice.

Students remain firm on CBI probe demand

A fresh round of talks between the government and the protesting students earlier failed to produce a breakthrough.

The authorities said they had accepted 98 per cent of the students’ demands, with the demand for a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the JSSC-CGL examination remaining the key point of disagreement.

Despite six rounds of talks, the students have continued their agitation, insisting that the alleged irregularities be investigated by the CBI.

The flood situation in Assam remained critical on Sunday as two more people died in separate incidents, taking the death toll from this year’s floods to 100, according to an official bulletin.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said one person each drowned in floodwaters in Golaghat and Karbi Anglong districts during the last 24 hours.

More than 1.37 lakh people are currently affected by the floods across seven districts — Charaideo, Darrang, Golaghat, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong, Nagaon and Sivasagar.

Golaghat worst hit

Golaghat remains the worst-affected district, with nearly 70,000 people impacted by the floods. Sivasagar has around 40,000 affected people, while more than 16,000 people have been affected in Jorhat.

The flood situation has shown a slight improvement compared with Saturday, when nearly 1.5 lakh people across eight districts were affected.

Authorities are currently operating 125 relief camps and relief distribution centres across six districts. Around 49,061 flood-affected people are taking shelter at these facilities.

Relief supplies distributed

Over the last 24 hours, authorities distributed 710.44 quintals of rice, 127.85 quintals of dal, 38.34 quintals of salt and 3,773.7 litres of mustard oil among people affected by the floods.

Despite the slight improvement, 456 villages remain inundated. The floods have also damaged 11,933.46 hectares of cropland.

Floodwaters have caused damage to embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure in several districts.

Rivers above danger level

According to the ASDMA, Dhansiri at Golaghat and Numaligarh, along with the Kushiyara at Sribhumi, are currently flowing above the danger level.

The floods have also affected 43,331 domestic animals and poultry across Assam.