New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to question Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s alleged dual approach where the Congress has been aggressively protesting against the Centre over reported National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) irregularities and the Delhi Police action while being restrained on similar issues in Jharkhand, where his party is part of the coalition government.
They argue that it took a specific question for the Congress leader to spell out a rhetoric of sorts on his party’s stand on the Jharkhand issue, and protesters at Parliament entrance to seek answers from Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
As she was entering Parliament, Priyanka faced the demonstration accusing Rahul Gandhi of not visiting Jharkhand amid the student agitation and subsequent police action.
The BJP has accused Congress of hypocrisy for not criticising its ally, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and its leader, Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
On Monday, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised Rahul Gandhi and the Congress for holding up Parliament, and for exhibiting “double standards” on student protests.
The ongoing Monsoon Session has witnessed repeated uproars from the Opposition benches, leading to repeated adjournments of both Houses of Parliament.
Opposition parties, spearheaded by the Congress leader, have been raising voice over the NEET paper leak, to demand accountability for police actions against protesters, and also about alleged irregularities in Ayodhya Ram Mandir donations.
When nudged by the media on Monday, Rahul Gandhi said that Congress condemns any use of force against peacefully protesting students in Jharkhand, and that students have a right to protest and that only dialogue can resolve their grievances.
He urged the Hemant Soren-led government to listen to students and resolve issues immediately, but avoided directly blaming the state government, a coalition that the Congress is part of.
Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday responded sharply to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs protesting at Parliament entrance, saying Rahul Gandhi had already met Jharkhand students.
She reiterated the demand that Union Home Minister Amit Shah make a statement in the House and mocked the ruling party MPs for staging a protest, remarking it was the first time she had seen government MPs doing so, reports added.
In Ranchi, police used batons, tear gas, and water cannons on Monday to disperse thousands of students marching towards the Assembly building.
Several students, including women, were injured, while police claimed its officers were hurt in stone-pelting.
Meanwhile, student leader Devendra Nath Mahto was reportedly hospitalised after his health deteriorated during a nine-day hunger strike.
The students are protesting alleged exam paper leaks and recruitment irregularities in Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) recruitment tests.
Protesters have demanded cancellation of exams, reforms in recruitment processes, and a probe into corruption by central investigation agencies.
While condemning the “use of force”, Rahul Gandhi said that students have a right to peaceful protest, but did not demand resignations or accountability from the Jharkhand government, unlike its aggressive stance against the Centre in the NEET case.
The BJP accused him of hypocrisy, saying if it truly stood with students, it should withdraw support from the Jharkhand government.
The dichotomy is obvious, they claim, the Congress being an ally in the state government, strong criticism may destabilise the coalition.
Facing subsequent poll defeats in recent elections, the Congress does not want to “shake” the few state governments it is part of, the BJP alleges.
Thus, the party condemned police action but avoided direct attacks on the Chief Minister Hemant Soren, unlike its sharp criticism of the Union government, they add.
–IANS
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