Archive · 11 Aug 2026
BJP's Thakur Accuses Rahul Gandhi, Hemant Soren of Lathi-Charge
When you take a test to get a government job, you hope it is fair.
Some students in Jharkhand, a state in India, believed their exams were not fair.
So they marched to the state assembly building to complain.
The police used sticks and water cannons to stop them.
This made many people angry.
A leader named Anurag Thakur said the state's leaders were wrong to treat students this way.
He blamed two leaders: Rahul Gandhi and the state's chief minister, Hemant Soren.
Rahul Gandhi is an important leader of the Congress party.
The BJP, another political party, held protests about this and even closed shops in Jharkhand for a day.
Different leaders disagree about who is responsible for what happened to the students.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur accused Rahul Gandhi and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren of being responsible for the lathi-charge on protesting students.
JPSC and JSSC-CGL exam aspirants had been protesting for two weeks over alleged irregularities in their examinations.
Jharkhand Police used lathis and water cannons on Monday to control the crowd during the aspirants' 'Vidhan Sabha gherao' march in Ranchi.
The BJP's Jharkhand unit observed a statewide bandh on Tuesday, and NDA MPs held a protest in Delhi against the Opposition.
Thakur alleged the Opposition avoided discussion in Parliament, saying the Home Minister was ready to provide answers while Congress 'peddled lies.'
- Who
- BJP MP Anurag Thakur, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and JPSC/JSSC exam aspirants.
- What
- Thakur accused the Congress-JMM government of injustice and atrocities, alleging Rahul Gandhi and Hemant Soren were responsible for the lathi-charge on students protesting alleged exam irregularities.
- When
- Thakur made his remarks on Tuesday; police used lathis and water cannons on Monday; protests had been ongoing for two weeks.
- Where
- Ranchi, Jharkhand, and Parliament in Delhi.
- Why
- Students demanded justice over alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations, and the police action triggered political accusations.
Congress and Opposition
BJP
Blame for the lathi-charge on students
Congress and Opposition
Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition raised the issue and demanded answers from the Home Minister over the treatment of Jharkhand's protesting youth.
BJP
BJP MP Anurag Thakur alleged the lathi-charge happened 'under the instructions of Rahul Gandhi and Hemant Soren,' calling it injustice and atrocities by the Congress-JMM government.
Parliament discussion of the protests
Congress and Opposition
The Opposition protested in Parliament and brought up the Jharkhand issue, seeking a response from the Home Minister.
BJP
Thakur said the Home Minister was ready to answer, but the Opposition shifted goalposts, avoided discussion, and made 'reckless statements' to stay in the headlines.
- Accuser
- BJP MP Anurag Thakur
- Accused
- Rahul Gandhi and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren
- Protesters
- JPSC and JSSC-CGL exam aspirants
- Location
- Ranchi, Jharkhand
- Trigger
- Alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations
- Police action
- Lathi-charge and water cannons on Monday
- BJP response
- Statewide bandh in Jharkhand and NDA protest in Delhi
- Parliament
- Home Minister Amit Shah ready to answer; Opposition accused of avoiding discussion