NDA slams Congress over 'double standards' on Jharkhand exam row
Synopsis
The NDA has turned Jharkhand's exam-irregularity protests into a national political flashpoint, with Chirag Paswan and BJP MPs accusing Congress of marching against paper leaks in BJP-ruled states while staying conspicuously quiet in Jharkhand, where it holds power as a JMM coalition partner.
Key Takeaways
NDA attacked Congress on 7 August over alleged 'double standards' on exam irregularities in Jharkhand .
Protests are ongoing over alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations.
Chirag Paswan accused Congress of staging marches elsewhere while refusing to engage with the Jharkhand agitation directly.
BJP MP Tarun Chugh called out Rahul Gandhi for silence on paper leaks in Punjab when Congress governed the state.
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut called Jharkhand protesters 'peaceful and responsible' and described Gen Z as the BJP's 'biggest strength.'
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Friday, 7 August launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing the party of maintaining glaring double standards by protesting alleged exam irregularities when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power at the Centre while staying silent on similar allegations in Jharkhand, where Congress itself is a coalition partner in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led government.
Background: What the Jharkhand Agitation Is About
Ongoing protests have gripped Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). Demonstrators, largely comprising job aspirants, have demanded accountability and corrective action from the state government. The agitation has put the JMM-Congress ruling alliance on the defensive.
What NDA Leaders Said Outside Parliament
Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan said the Centre had respected students' sentiments and called on the Jharkhand government to follow suit. 'Regarding the protest in Jharkhand, I believe that the government, especially the policymakers whom the youth look up to, should continuously engage in dialogue with the students,' Paswan said outside Parliament House.
Taking an indirect aim at Congress, Paswan added that the JMM's allies — who have been staging marches over the paper leak issue — 'don't consider it necessary to even visit Jharkhand and only make calls for formality. This depicts their double standards.'
BJP Member of Parliament Tarun Chugh went further, directly targeting Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. 'If your (JMM-Congress) government is in power and the students' demands are right, why isn't the Chief Minister and your government accepting their demands?' Chugh told reporters. He also noted that Gandhi had not spoken a word on paper leaks in Punjab, where Congress was previously in power, calling it a clear illustration of the party's inconsistency.
Kangana Ranaut Weighs In on Gen Z and the Protests
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut also addressed reporters, criticising the Opposition's stance on government legislation. Separately, days after her remarks on Gen Z triggered a controversy, Ranaut walked back her position, saying the generation was 'a part of the government.' 'It is because of Gen Z's mandate that our government is in power for so many years,' she said, adding that students protesting in Jharkhand were conducting themselves 'peacefully and responsibly.' She described Gen Z as the BJP's 'biggest strength.'
What This Signals Going Forward
The NDA's coordinated attack outside Parliament suggests the ruling alliance intends to keep the Jharkhand exam controversy in the national spotlight ahead of the state's electoral cycle. Congress has not yet issued a formal response to the specific charges levelled by Paswan and Chugh. Whether the JMM-led state government moves to address student demands or holds its ground will determine how long the agitation sustains political traction at the national level.
Point of View
The ruling alliance shifts the narrative from Centre accountability to Opposition hypocrisy. But the charge of double standards cuts both ways — the BJP has faced its own paper-leak controversies at the Centre, including the NEET-UG row, which the Opposition has used relentlessly. What is missing from this parliamentary sparring is any concrete commitment from either side to the students actually protesting in Jharkhand. The agitation, driven by genuine grievances over recruitment integrity, risks being reduced to political ammunition rather than a policy problem that demands resolution.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are students protesting in Jharkhand?
Students are protesting over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). The demonstrations have put the JMM-Congress ruling alliance in the state under significant pressure.
What did Chirag Paswan say about Congress and the Jharkhand protests?
Union Minister Chirag Paswan said Congress and other JMM allies, who stage marches over paper leaks when the BJP is in power, have not visited Jharkhand to engage with the agitation. He said this 'depicts their double standards,' speaking outside Parliament House on 7 August.
What did BJP MP Tarun Chugh accuse Rahul Gandhi of?
Tarun Chugh accused Rahul Gandhi of showing 'one face in Delhi and another in Jharkhand,' arguing that Gandhi had not spoken a single word about paper leaks in Punjab when Congress governed that state, making his current criticism of the Centre inconsistent.
What did Kangana Ranaut say about Gen Z and the protests?
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut described the Jharkhand student protesters as conducting themselves 'peacefully and responsibly.' She also reversed her earlier controversial remarks about Gen Z, calling them the BJP's 'biggest strength' and crediting their mandate for the party's continued electoral success.
Has Congress responded to the NDA's double-standards charge?
Congress had not issued a formal response to the specific allegations made by Chirag Paswan and Tarun Chugh outside Parliament as of the time of this report. The JMM-led Jharkhand government's position on the student demands also remained unresolved.
