BJP's Vaghani slams Rahul Gandhi over Jharkhand student protests
Synopsis
BJP's Gujarat Minister Jitu Vaghani has turned the Jharkhand student protests into a direct political challenge for Rahul Gandhi — asking why a leader who stages solidarity at Jantar Mantar went silent when a Congress-backed state government allegedly deployed tear gas and barbed wire against the same constituency he courts.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Minister Jitu Vaghani addressed a press conference in Gandhinagar on 11 August , targeting Rahul Gandhi over his silence on Jharkhand student protests .
Vaghani alleged the Congress-JMM government in Jharkhand used barbed wire, cane charges, tear gas, and water cannons against peaceful student demonstrators.
He accused Gandhi of applying 'different standards' for Delhi and Jharkhand, calling it 'selective politics.' Vaghani also alleged that journalists covering the protests were 'treated improperly,' calling any curb on press freedom 'condemnable.' He claimed Congress had been disrupting Parliament proceedings for 15 days to prevent Home Minister Amit Shah from responding to questions on the floor.
Vaghani demanded that Gandhi and Congress apologise for the alleged treatment of Jharkhand students.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Gujarat Minister Jitu Vaghani on Tuesday, 11 August launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, demanding to know why Gandhi — who has championed student causes at Delhi's Jantar Mantar — had remained silent on the ongoing student protests in Jharkhand. Vaghani made the remarks at a press conference held at the BJP's state office in Gandhinagar, alleging that the Congress-JMM coalition government in Jharkhand had used heavy-handed measures against peaceful demonstrators.
What Vaghani Alleged
Vaghani claimed that students in Jharkhand had been protesting peacefully over concerns about their future, competitive examinations, and alleged irregularities in recruitment — including paper leaks. He alleged that the state government had deployed barbed wire, cane charges, tear gas, and water cannons against the protesters, describing the reported response as 'extremely serious and condemnable.'
'Why does Rahul Gandhi, who politicises students' issues at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, not see the pain of students in Jharkhand?' Vaghani asked. He alleged that Gandhi applied 'different standards for Delhi and Jharkhand,' and called it an example of what he described as Congress' 'selective politics and insensitivity.'
Journalists' Treatment Under Scrutiny
Vaghani also raised concerns about the reported treatment of journalists covering the Jharkhand protests. He alleged that videos had emerged showing reporters being 'treated improperly' while performing their duties, calling any obstruction of press freedom 'condemnable.' He described the media as 'an important pillar of democracy.'
BJP's Stand on Paper Leaks and Exam Irregularities
On the issue of examination irregularities, Vaghani said that the Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced 'stringent legal provisions' against offences such as paper leaks, with strict punishment for those found guilty. He challenged Congress to explain why similar mechanisms had not been put in place during its previous governments at the Centre.
Parliament Disruption Charge
Vaghani extended his criticism to Congress' conduct in the ongoing Parliament session, alleging that the party had been disrupting proceedings for the past 15 days. He cited statements by Union ministers J.P. Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, and Piyush Goyal that the Central government was ready to respond to issues raised in Parliament. He specifically noted that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had expressed readiness to address the House.
Vaghani also accused Rahul Gandhi of spreading misinformation, referring to an alleged claim that firing had taken place at Jantar Mantar. He cited former BJP President J.P. Nadda as having stated that 'not a single gunshot had been fired there.' He demanded that Gandhi and Congress apologise for what he called 'brutal atrocities' against students in Jharkhand under the Congress-JMM government. The Jharkhand government has not yet issued a public response to these allegations.
Point of View
But the allegations about tear gas and barbed wire are, as yet, unverified by independent sources — a distinction mainstream coverage has largely glossed over. The deeper story is the Jharkhand student movement itself: competitive exam irregularities and paper leaks are a pan-India governance failure that no single party can credibly own as an attack line. If the Congress-JMM government's response to the protests is as described, it is a serious accountability question — but framing it primarily as a Rahul Gandhi character issue risks obscuring the structural problem of recruitment fraud that students across states are fighting.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Jharkhand student protests about?
Students in Jharkhand have been protesting over concerns related to their future, competitive examinations, and alleged irregularities in government recruitment — including paper leaks. The protests have drawn national attention after reports of a heavy-handed response by authorities.
What did Gujarat Minister Jitu Vaghani allege against the Jharkhand government?
Vaghani alleged that the Congress-JMM coalition government in Jharkhand deployed barbed wire, cane charges, tear gas, and water cannons against students who were protesting peacefully. He described the reported treatment as 'extremely serious and condemnable.'
Why is Rahul Gandhi being criticised over the Jharkhand protests?
BJP leaders, including Vaghani, allege that Gandhi — who has visibly championed student causes at Delhi's Jantar Mantar — has remained silent on the Jharkhand protests, which are occurring under a Congress-allied state government. Critics argue this exposes what they call 'double standards' in his political positioning.
What did Vaghani say about Parliament disruptions?
Vaghani alleged that Congress had been disrupting Parliament proceedings for 15 days, preventing Union Home Minister Amit Shah from responding to questions on the floor. He argued that if the Opposition has concerns, they should raise them through constitutional means within Parliament.
Has the Congress or the Jharkhand government responded to these allegations?
As of the time of this report, the Jharkhand government and Congress had not issued a public response to Vaghani's specific allegations. NationPress will update this story as and when a response is received.
