‘We are with students’: Kharge’s 1st reaction on Jharkhand student protests

Kharge breaks silence as Jharkhand protest enters day 13

NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday backed students protesting over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations, saying his party stands with students and youth “whether it is Jharkhand, Punjab, Delhi or anywhere else”.Additionally, he also demanded that the Union home minister come to Parliament and explain the alleged lathi-charge and use of pellet guns against protesting students in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.”We want the Union Home Minister to come to the House and tell us who ordered the lathi-charge and the use of pellet guns on students,” Kharge said while addressing a press conference in Delhi.Speaking on the protests in Jharkhand, which have entered their 13th day, Kharge said the Congress stands with students and youth across the country.”We stand with the students, whether it is Jharkhand, Punjab, Delhi or anywhere else. Rahul Gandhi ji and I stand with the students,” he said.Kharge said the party would seek answers on what happened during the protests and was also reaching out to those involved. He added that the Congress would continue to raise students’ concerns, irrespective of whether they were protesting against an alliance partner or the Opposition. “We will ask why this happened and whether any mistake was made on our part. We are also writing to each of them (allaince partners) to understand what happened. Whether it is our alliance partner or the Opposition, we stand with students and youth and will continue to fight to resolve their problems,” Kharge said.The statements came as the LoP accused the Centre of refusing to respond to repeated demands for a statement in Parliament on the issue.”We have been asking for a statement from him on this. What is preventing him from making a statement? It could only be his arrogance. Either they are scared or don’t regard the existence of Parliament. I want to tell them- they should come to the House and make a statement,” Kharge said. The remarks came as protests over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations reached the state Assembly on Thursday, the first day of the Monsoon Session.Opposition MLAs raised slogans on the Assembly premises as the student agitation entered its 13th day, with six demonstrators continuing their hunger strike.The protest began on July 25 under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi. The students are demanding the cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and an independent probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday said his government would “soon take action” over protests alleging recruitment exam irregularities after meeting governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and discussing the situation. The protesters have demanded a CBI investigation or an inquiry by a panel of retired High Court judges from outside Jharkhand.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and party in-charge for Jharkhand, K Raju, also expressed support for the protesting students on Thursday and welcomed the Hemant Soren government’s decision to form a ministerial committee to engage with them.In a post on X, Raju said, “The Congress in Jharkhand stands in support of the agitating students for justice in Ranchi.”Raju said leaders of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), along with the NSUI National President and IYC National Secretary, had joined the protest to express solidarity with the students.Meanwhile, the protesting students have announced a “Vidhan Sabha Gherao” on August 10 if their demands are not met.