Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday spoke over the phone with students protesting in Ranchi against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations. The protesters said Gandhi heard their concerns during a brief conversation after they explained the situation and their key demands.
The call took place on the 13th day of the ongoing protest at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi. Ravindra Paswan, who is leading the agitation, said the conversation lasted around three minutes.
During the call, Paswan outlined both his own demands and those of the protesting students to the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The interaction was facilitated by Ranchi Metropolitan Congress president Kumar Raja.
According to Paswan, Gandhi assured the students that he would raise their concerns and work towards finding a resolution.
Paswan also urged Gandhi to pressure the Congress's coalition partner if the Jharkhand government continued to ignore the students' demands.
He further said, "If the government does not listen to you, then you should break your alliance with them."
The call comes as protests in Ranchi continue, with thousands of students demonstrating since July 25 over alleged irregularities in the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examination and the functioning of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
The protesters are seeking cancellation of the examination, structural reforms in both commissions, and an independent investigation by either the CBI or a panel of retired High Court judges from outside Jharkhand.
There was no immediate response from Rahul Gandhi or the Congress regarding the conversation.
The phone call followed criticism directed at the Congress MP from Rae Bareli for highlighting a student protest in New Delhi that had already ended while remaining silent on the ongoing agitation in Ranchi.
On Wednesday, Gandhi interacted at his New Delhi residence with students who had participated in the Jantar Mantar protest over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.
That protest concluded on July 26 after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.
Critics questioned why Gandhi had not publicly commented on the Ranchi agitation, especially since Jharkhand is governed by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in alliance with the Congress.
13TH DAY OF RANCHI PROTESTS
The Ranchi agitation has continued to gather momentum. JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto is on a hunger strike in support of the students, while members of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch have also begun fasting to press for their demands.
Protest organisers said they are considering holding a Tiranga March to expand public support for the movement.
The agitation has also received backing from the Cockroach Janata Party, which had previously led a nationwide campaign against examination irregularities. Its leaders have publicly expressed solidarity with the Jharkhand students and supported their demands.
As the protest approaches the end of its second week, students continue to seek political backing and an official response from the state government.
