DIMAPUR, AUG 11 (NPN): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Nagaland has strongly condemned the alleged police crackdown on students protesting in Ranchi, Jharkhand, accusing the Congress-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government of using excessive force against youth demanding employment, justice and action against alleged job scams and paper leaks.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP Nagaland office, Supermarket Dimapur, state vice president Basu Damani termed the alleged action against students a serious matter and accused the Jharkhand government of suppressing a peaceful democratic protest. He said the BJP stood firmly with the students and youth of Jharkhand, asserting that the protesters were raising genuine concerns about their future and employment through peaceful means.
Damani alleged that the students had neither resorted to abusive language nor engaged in violence, yet the administration responded with “brutality.” “The sheer brutality with which the Congress-JMM government has rained batons on unarmed, innocent students peacefully protesting for their rights and employment is highly unfortunate,” he said.
BJP Nagaland state secretary Therali Ezung also questioned the silence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of maintaining a “double standard” on student protests. She alleged that Gandhi was quick to express concern over protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar but had remained silent on the situation in Jharkhand. “Where is Rahul Gandhi’s sympathy now?” she asked, demanding that the Congress party apologise to the youth of the country.
BJP leader Zaremo Kikon accused Gandhi of repeatedly shifting his demands during the ongoing controversy, alleging that he initially sought the resignation of the Union Education Minister and later demanded a discussion on NEET in Parliament. Kikon referred to statements by Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Piyush Goyal, who had assured that the Union Home Minister would answer questions in the House. He alleged that despite the assurance, Gandhi continued to change his demands instead of allowing debate. “Rahul Gandhi ji, the Hon’ble Home Minister is coming to answer every single one of your questions; do not run away from the battlefield now,” Kikon said.
The BJP leaders maintained that students should have the democratic right to raise concerns relating to employment, recruitment and their future without fear of excessive force. They said if allegations regarding the Ranchi protest were correct, the use of barbed wires, tear gas, water cannons and lathi charge against peaceful students required serious scrutiny.
They reiterated support for the students and youth of Jharkhand, demanding that the state government engage with the protesters and address their grievances. The leaders also accused the Congress of adopting different positions on student protests depending on political circumstances and challenged the party leadership to clarify its stand on the Ranchi incident.