Sushanta Chowdhury accused the Congress-JMM government in Jharkhand of double standards over student protests, backing demands for corruption-free administration, transparent recruitment and protection of students’ futures while questioning Rahul Gandhi and opposition leaders over their response to the ongoing agitation.
Tripura Transport and Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Tuesday launched a strong attack on the Congress-JMM coalition government in Jharkhand, accusing it of adopting “double standards” in its handling of the ongoing student agitation in the state. Addressing a press conference at the Pradesh BJP Headquarters in Agartala, Chowdhury said the Bharatiya Janata Party stands firmly in support of the democratic demands raised by Jharkhand’s students.
Speaking to reporters at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hall in Kushabhau Bhavan, the minister said the students’ movement was centered on issues of public importance, including the demand for a corruption-free administration, transparent recruitment processes and protection of the future of the younger generation.
Chowdhury alleged that the Congress-JMM government had failed to apply the same democratic standards to Jharkhand that Congress leaders claim to support elsewhere. He compared the treatment of student protests in different states and accused Congress of following separate political approaches depending on where it was in power or allied with a ruling party.
“In Delhi one policy, in Bengal another, in Tripura another, in Jharkhand another, and in Kerala yet another,” Chowdhury said, alleging that such “double-faced politics” was responsible for Congress becoming increasingly disconnected from the people.
The Tripura minister also questioned the response of Tripura’s opposition leader Jitendra Chaudhury to the Jharkhand student agitation. He asked why Chaudhury had travelled to Delhi but had not visited Ranchi to meet or extend support to students involved in the ongoing protest.
Chowdhury further levelled serious allegations regarding the police response to the demonstrations in Jharkhand. He described the alleged action against protesting students as “barbaric” and claimed that women protesters had also faced harassment during the agitation. He argued that democratic protests should not be suppressed and that students raising concerns about recruitment and corruption deserve to have their grievances heard.
The minister also directly targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning his silence over the Jharkhand student protests. According to Chowdhury, Gandhi’s alliance with the JMM appeared to be preventing him from speaking openly against the Jharkhand government.
“If Rahul Gandhi is truly concerned about students’ rights, he must speak against the Jharkhand government and press for their demands to be met,” Chowdhury said.
He further accused Gandhi and the Congress of using student issues for political advantage. Chowdhury alleged that while Congress leaders were vocal about student-related controversies in other parts of the country, they remained silent when similar concerns emerged in a state where the party was politically aligned with the ruling coalition.
The BJP leader also referred to the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, accusing Congress of attempting to create political disorder in Parliament rather than focusing on institutional solutions. Chowdhury said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP-led government had instead pursued measures aimed at strengthening the system and ensuring strict punishment for those responsible for examination-related irregularities.
He also referred to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s handling of the controversy, claiming that the minister had demonstrated accountability by resigning to uphold the integrity of the education system. Chowdhury contrasted this with what he described as Congress’s effort to politicise the issue through protests involving individuals facing allegations.
The minister maintained that student movements demanding transparency, corruption-free administration and fair recruitment should not be viewed solely through a political lens. He urged the media to maintain neutrality while reporting on the Jharkhand agitation and other student movements, stressing that democratic institutions must protect the rights of young people.
Chowdhury said governments have a responsibility to listen to legitimate public grievances and address them through constitutional and democratic mechanisms. He argued that selective responses to similar protests in different states could weaken public confidence in political parties and institutions.
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Concluding his remarks, Chowdhury reiterated the BJP’s moral support for the students of Jharkhand and called upon the Congress-JMM government to address their concerns without delay. He said accepting the students’ demands and ensuring transparent recruitment would demonstrate the government’s sincerity and goodwill.
The minister warned that continued political selectivity over student issues could further erode public trust. He maintained that the concerns of students should receive equal consideration irrespective of the state, political alliance or party involved, and called for democratic principles to remain at the centre of the government’s response to public protests.
