Jharkhand Bharatiya Janata Party President Aditya Sahu on Tuesday, 11 August launched a sharp attack on the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led state government and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that police action against students during the Assembly gherao protest amounted to a deliberate suppression of democratic dissent. Speaking at a press conference at the BJP state headquarters in Ranchi, Sahu declared 10 August a 'black day' for Jharkhand.

What Happened During the Protest

Sahu alleged that police deployed barbed wire barricades, water cannons, tear gas shells, and baton charges against students whom he described as peaceful demonstrators. He further claimed that female students were not spared during the crackdown and that cameras belonging to media personnel were damaged in the process. The BJP leader argued that the manner in which the protest was handled raised serious concerns about the state of democracy in Jharkhand.

BJP Targets Rahul Gandhi on 'Double Standards'

Sahu held Rahul Gandhi directly accountable, pointing out that the Jharkhand government survives on Congress support. He questioned why Gandhi — who he said frequently raises student-related issues in other states — had remained silent on students' demand for a CBI probe in Jharkhand. Sahu said that if Gandhi possessed moral courage, he should travel to Jharkhand and stage a sit-in protest outside Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence in solidarity with the agitating students. He also accused Gandhi of double standards, alleging he chose to visit Prayagraj instead of engaging with Jharkhand's student protesters.

Demand for Congress to Withdraw Support

Sahu went a step further, arguing that if the state government refused to address student grievances, the Congress should withdraw its support from the ruling dispensation. He maintained that student voices could not be suppressed through 'lathis, bullets, firearms, water cannons or tear gas,' and asserted that the student movement had now evolved into a national issue. He added that NDA Members of Parliament had raised the matter both inside and outside Parliament.

Sahu Questions CM Soren's Praise for Police

The BJP president directly challenged Chief Minister Hemant Soren's reported praise for the restraint shown by police and the administration, asking on what grounds a baton charge and other coercive measures against peaceful demonstrators could be justified. This comes amid a broader political standoff between the ruling JMM-Congress alliance and the BJP over governance and law-and-order in the state.

BJP Bandh and What Comes Next

Sahu described the BJP-sponsored Jharkhand bandh held on Tuesday as a success, saying that despite short notice, people across the state extended substantial support to the shutdown. He thanked party workers, the public, and the media for their cooperation, and asserted that the fight for justice for students would continue both on the streets and in the legislature. The BJP's escalation signals that the student protest issue is unlikely to fade quickly from Jharkhand's political landscape.