Senior Jharkhand Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth on Saturday (August 22, 2026) slammed the Hemant Soren government over the alleged attack on students and protesters by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers during effigy-burning protests in a few districts on August 21.

While condemning the alleged attacks on students and the lathi-charge by JMM workers, he demanded a CBI probe into all recruitment examinations conducted in Jharkhand over the last six years, including those conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).

“Innocent students were assaulted by JMM goons and subjected to lathi-charges by the police – in Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Giridih, and Garhwa. When students went to hospitals for treatment, they were beaten and driven away,” Mr. Seth said while addressing a press conference at the party office.

He alleged that hospital directors and civil surgeons were asked to leave the injured students without treatment. He added that the country had witnessed such scenes only during the Emergency.

Mr. Seth added that the Soren government did not listen to the students’ demands. When the movement began to garner support, the government betrayed the students by adopting a “divide and rule” policy.

“Hemant Soren cancelled the exam as part of a conspiracy because when it came to defending that decision in court, he sent a junior lawyer instead of the State Advocate General,” Mr. Seth said.

He also took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the students’ issue and called him an “opportunist”. He said blood had been shed in Jharkhand and several students had been injured, yet not a word of concern had come from Mr. Gandhi.

Mr. Seth alleged that the Congress leader was only interested in deriving political mileage from the student agitation and that was why he visited Delhi but failed to come to Jharkhand, a State governed by his party in alliance with the JMM.

“If you really care about students, come to Ranchi, stand in solidarity with the protesting students of Jharkhand, and demand a CBI inquiry into this matter from the Hemant Soren government. Otherwise, withdraw your support immediately. But you will not do so; the entire nation is well aware of your double-faced nature. That is why neither you nor your words are taken seriously,” Mr. Seth alleged.

Accusing the government, Mr. Seth said that people within the corridors of power in Jharkhand had extorted over ₹1,000 crore by selling jobs.

He asserted that only the CBI, and not the CID, was capable of conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, as local youth lacked faith in a CID probe.

Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi demanded that the government identify all the culprits, register cases against them and ensure their immediate arrest. Attacking the State government, he alleged that Hemant Soren, blinded by the arrogance of power, had crossed all limits.

“Attempt to suppress the students’ voices using lathi and sticks is an attack on democracy. Students were chased and beaten by JMM workers at Giridih’s Jhanda Maidan; similar hooliganism was witnessed in Hazaribagh, Ranchi, and other locations, “Mr. Marandi said while addressing the press in Giridih.

Also, former Jharkhand Chief Minister and BJP leader Champai Soren accused the State government of betraying students and cancelling examinations to evade a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the JPSC-JSSC recruitment examinations.