'We are with students': Kharge's first reaction to Jharkhand protests
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday extended his support to the students protesting in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in the state's graduate-level recruitment examination. "We are with students," Kharge said in his first public reaction to the ongoing agitation, which has seen thousands of aspirants take to the streets in Ranchi and other districts.
The protests began after candidates alleged a paper leak and discrepancies in the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) graduate level exam, conducted for filling thousands of government posts. The demonstrators are demanding cancellation of the examination and a fresh, transparent selection process, along with strict action against those responsible for the malpractice.
Kharge's remarks came as the Congress, which is in opposition in Jharkhand, sought to escalate the issue. In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the senior leader wrote that the party stands in solidarity with the students, who he said are fighting for their rights and the future of their careers. He urged the state government to listen to the student community's grievances and ensure a fair recruitment process.
The Jharkhand government, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged leak. Soren has assured students that the recruitment will be carried out with complete transparency and that any guilty parties will face legal consequences. He also appealed for peace and urged students to call off the agitation while the investigation is underway.
Despite these assurances, student leaders have said they will continue their sit-in campaigns until the exam result is annulled and a re-test is announced. Several rounds of talks between representatives and district officials have so far failed to break the deadlock. The protesters have also submitted memorandums to the governor's office, demanding intervention.
The protests have drawn sharp political reactions. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is the principal opposition in the state, has echoed the students' demands and accused the JMM-led coalition of corruption in recruitment. Congress has also attacked the government, pointing out that a similar paper leak in 2023 had prompted a re-exam, yet measures were not strengthened to prevent recurrence.
Kharge's statement is seen as a strategic move by Congress to align itself with the student movement, which has resonance among the youth and unemployed across the state. Jharkhand is scheduled to hold assembly elections later this year, and parties are keen to capture the sentiment of the large number of educated but unemployed voters.
Security arrangements have been tightened in the state capital, with police deployment at protest sites and government offices. Traffic diversions have been implemented in parts of Ranchi to manage the crowds. Senior officials are in constant touch with protest organisers to defuse tensions.
The SIT has begun its inquiry, collecting call detail records and examining sealed answer sheets. Officials have also issued notices to the examination contractor, but students remain sceptical of the investigation's outcome, citing delays and lack of public disclosure in earlier probes.
As the agitation enters its second week, the political pressure is mounting on the Soren government. While the chief minister has described the leak as an "unfortunate incident" and promised strict action, the students insist that only a full re-examination will restore their confidence in the system. Kharge's backing gives the movement a national spotlight, and further developments are expected as the SIT submits its interim report.
