Jharkhand protest: ABVP activists detained, Minister Ansari accuses BJP of hijacking movement| LIVE

Key Updates

1. AUG 11, 2026 11:14 PM

   Condition of 2 protesters on hunger strike stable, say doctors

   The health condition of two protesters, who have been on hunger strike for over a week against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations, is stable, doctors said on Tuesday.

   Both of them were undergoing treatment at Ranchi Sadar Hospital.

   “JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, admitted in the emergency ward of the hospital, is still on fast, but his health condition is stable,” Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh, the Deputy Superintendent (DS) of Sadar Hospital, told PTI.

   Mahto has been on a hunger strike for the past 10 days to protest against the alleged irregularities. Mahto was admitted to the hospital on Monday after his health condition deteriorated following his participation in the march to the Jharkhand assembly in Ranchi by the agitating students.

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3. AUG 11, 2026 09:11 PM

   Over 8,500 suggestions received from students on exam reforms, will build accountable system: Hemant

   Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday said over 8,500 suggestions on examination reforms have been received from students under a government campaign, as he vowed to make the exam system more accountable and transparent.

   Soren, in a social media post, said the examination reform process would be driven by public participation, and that realising the dreams of the youth was the government’s responsibility.

   “We are keen to build a transparent, secure and accountable examination system for the present and future generations,” Soren said in a post on X.

4. AUG 11, 2026 07:48 PM

   Jharkhand CM accuses BJP of using job aspirants as 'political tool'

   Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday accused the BJP of misleading protesting job aspirants and using them as a "political tool", asserting that his government accepted most of the demands of the agitators and was ready to undertake further reforms in the recruitment examination system.

   Just after the CM's attack on opposition BJP in the Assembly during which he drew a parallel between the saffron party and "parasites", the House was adjourned sine die, a day before its scheduled adjournment on Wednesday amid uproarious scenes.

   "The BJP, like a parasite, yesterday tried to turn the youth's movement into its own political platform. Matters concerning students will be discussed with the students themselves, and my young friends in Jharkhand will certainly get justice," Soren said.

5. AUG 11, 2026 05:16 PM

   Goa BJP accuses Congress of 'double standards' on Jharkhand protest, seeks Rahul's apology

   Goa BJP leaders on Tuesday demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi over his "silence" on ongoing protests in Ranchi and accused the Congress of adopting "double standards" on issues concerning the youth.

   Addressing a press conference here, BJP MLA and state minister Mauvin Godinho alleged that students in Jharkhand were subjected to atrocities and police action despite protesting over their demands.

   "This exposes the double standards of the Congress party. When students protested at Jantar Mantar, the Congress was at the forefront, labelling the BJP government anti-student. The party claimed it had the highest regard for the sentiments of the youth," Godinho said.

   He alleged that the Congress maintained silence on the protests in Jharkhand despite being in power in the eastern state.

   "Students were stopped in Jharkhand by putting up barbed wires. They still managed to cross over them. The government does not want to listen to the voice of the students," he said.

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7. AUG 11, 2026 03:32 PM

   Union Minister attacks Rahul Gandhi over police action against protesting Jharkhand students

   Delhi BJP president and Union minister Harsh Malhotra on Tuesday slammed Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over the "brutal" police action against protesting students in Jharkhand, asking when he would demand the resignation of Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

   Addressing a press conference here, Malhotra said that since the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government in the state is supported by the Congress, if Gandhi does not seek Soren's resignation, it will be surmised that the police action against the peaceful protesters had his nod.

   "Brutal police action against students protesting against paper leaks in Jharkhand has exposed the real face of Rahul Gandhi. He had shown a different face during the Jantar Mantar protest," Malhotra said.

   The Union Minister dared the Leader of Opposition to be present in the Lok Sabha and take part in the debate on students' issues, and not run away or disrupt the proceedings when Home Minister Amit Shah is speaking.

8. AUG 11, 2026 02:01 PM

   "BJP tried to hijack students' movement": Minister Irfan Ansari

   Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari defended the state government's handling of student protests over the alleged lathi-charge, accusing the BJP of trying to "hijack" the students' movement and asserting that the government supports peaceful protests.
   Speaking about the protests, Ansari said, "We have clearly stated that we support peaceful movements. However, the way the BJP tried to hijack the students' movement yesterday is not right. They sent troublemakers into the movement to crush it."
   Targeting the BJP over its call for a shutdown, the Jharkhand minister said, "They should be ashamed of using children as a shield. Who are you to interfere in the students' movement? Who called you? Today you called for a bandh (shutdown)--why? Who are you to declare a shutdown? The entire market is open. They put up bamboo barricades, and we are removing them."
   He further said, "Today I want to ask, if the youth managed to reach inside the Legislative Assembly, what does that signify? It was our silent consent; we did not want the youth to be shot at or injured and left crying. If it were a BJP government, how many bodies of young people would have been lying here today? With what face do they talk?"
   Highlighting the government's response to the students' demands, Ansari said, "Today, it is the students' demand, and we are supporting them. We want their demands to be met, and we have already fulfilled 95 per cent of them."

9. AUG 11, 2026 01:52 PM

   ABVP workers including women detained

   Several ABVP workers were detained on Tuesday during their march to the Jharkhand Assembly to protest against police action on students agitating over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in the state, a senior officer said.

   The detention was made as members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) started their procession from the old Vidhan Sabha area here, he said.

   Meanwhile, clashes broke out between ABVP workers and police as protesters refused to allow the bus carrying the detained workers to move.

   Some women protesters were also detained by police during the march.

   Two students, including a girl, fainted during the protest. Security officials carried the girl to a nearby sheltered area, where fellow protesters offered her water.

   The ABVP demanded answers from the government over alleged police atrocities against students.

   Kumar Divyanshu, an ABVP worker, said the government was trying to suppress the voice of the youth and students.

   "The goons of CM Hemant Soren have detained us as we were moving towards the Assembly," he said.

   Tushar, another worker, who sat in front of the bus carrying the detained workers, alleged that they were being detained without any rhyme or reason and demanded that they be allowed to march peacefully.

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11. AUG 11, 2026 12:51 PM

    BJP MP slams Rahul Gandhi's ‘double standards’, asks Congress to withdraw support to Jharkhand govt

    BJP MP from Jharkhand's Deoghar, Nishikant Dubey, slammed the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his ‘duplicitous mindset’ and challenged him to withdraw support from the Jharkhand government following the alleged lathi-charge on student protesters in Ranchi.
    Speaking to reporters, Dubey accused the LoP of practising "double standards," saying, "Given the intensity of his opposition to Modi--and the fact that he consistently aligns with elements seeking to tear the country apart--there is a message for you: put an end to this duplicitous mindset, this double standard, and this divisive mentality. Stand with the students and ensure they get justice."
    The BJP MP further dared Gandhi to take a decisive political stand instead of limiting his activism to social media platforms.
    "You are in government and have the platform to hold press conferences; stop playing games on Twitter. If you truly have the courage, the standing, and a genuine concern for the students' welfare, then withdraw your support from the government over the lathi-charge incident involving Devendra Nath Mahato, who was on a hunger strike. Come forward and provide an answer; if you fail to do so, the public will give you a fitting reply," Dubey added.

12. AUG 11, 2026 12:13 PM

    Entire Jharkhand shut today, BJP men block Ratu road
    

    BJP workers blocked Ratu Road in Ranchi during the state-wide Jharkhand Bandh on Tuesday amid the ongoing JPSC-JSSC protest in the state.
    Later, the Jharkhand Police intervened to stop the BJP workers from blocking the road.
    The BJP's call for a shutdown follows Monday's massive protest by JPSC and JSSC aspirants in Ranchi, which ended with a night of alleged police brutality and a heavy lathi charge between students and security forces near the Legislative Assembly.
    Speaking to ANI, Union MoS Sanjay Seth asserted that today, the entire Jharkhand is "shut".
    "Today, the entire Jharkhand is shut. The police committed brutality; there was a lathi charge, and tear gas was fired. Water cannons were used; daughters were beaten at night. Look at the Chief Minister's insensitivity; he is thanking the police administration. You should have apologised to the children," Seth said.

13. AUG 11, 2026 11:56 AM

    Assembly adjourned till noon amid BJP's protest over police action on students

    The Jharkhand assembly proceedings were adjourned till noon on Tuesday amid protests by opposition BJP over baton charge on students demonstrating against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams.

    The opposition MLAs trooped into the well of the House, raising slogans against the JMM-led government, which forced Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato to adjourn the proceedings till noon.

    As the House assembled around 11 am, Congress MLA Pradip Yadav raised the issue of students’ protest and alleged that BJP-backed miscreants indulged in violence during the peaceful demonstration by job aspirants.

    Reacting to it, BJP members trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans against the Hemant Soren government.

    Despite repeated requests by the Speaker, BJP MLAs were in no mood to go back to their seats.

    Unable to run the House, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till noon.

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15. AUG 11, 2026 11:32 AM

    AAP leader Kejriwal backs Jharkhand protest
    

    Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday extended support to protesting students in Jharkhand and urged the state government to resolve their demands, saying that violence against students was "simply unacceptable".
    "I support the demands of the protesting students in Jharkhand and appeal to the govt to resolve their issues immediately. Violence against students is simply unacceptable," Kejriwal said in a post on X.

    I support the demands of the protesting students in Jharkhand and appeal to the govt to resolve their issues immediately. Violence against students is simply unacceptable

    — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 11, 2026

16. AUG 11, 2026 10:39 AM

    BJP calls for Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's resignation
    

    BJP State Vice President and former MP Sunil Soren demanded the resignation of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on moral grounds, following the alleged 'brutal lathi-charge' on job aspirants and students during their protest march in Ranchi.
    Enforcing a complete shutdown in Dumka as part of the BJP's statewide 'Jharkhand Bandh', Sunil Soren stated that the administration's use of force against peaceful students was unacceptable.
    "Regarding the JPSC, JSSC, and CGL exams, students across the entire state of Jharkhand are currently in a state of protest. Yesterday, they conducted a march to surround the Legislative Assembly in a very democratic and peaceful manner. However, at night, the administration carried out a brutal lathi-charge against them. In response, the BJP has called for a one-day state-wide bandh, and as part of that, we are enforcing a complete shutdown of Dumka city today. If Hemant Soren has even a shred of morality left, he should resign from his post," Sunil Soren told ANI.
    Echoing these sentiments, BJP State Council Member Niwas Mandal labelled the JMM-led administration as an "anti-people and anti-student government," alleging that the recruitment process in the state has been compromised.

17. AUG 11, 2026 10:30 AM

    BJP Yuva Morcha members being sent from WB to Jharkhand, alleges Congress
    

    The Congress on Tuesday alleged that some members of the BJP Yuva Morcha were being transported from West Bengal in trucks to Jharkhand, and an attempt was being made to give a different colour to the ongoing non-violent movement of students and job aspirants.
    Congress general secretary K C Venugopal shared a video clip purportedly showing youth allegedly being sent by the BJP to participate in the Jharkhand student protest against exam irregularities.

    In a post in Hindi on X, Venugopal said, "Behold another example of the petty politics of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Some boys from the BJP Yuva Morcha are being transported from West Bengal in trucks to Jharkhand, and an attempt is being made there to give a different colour to the ongoing non-violent student movement."

    "They think that if a fake crowd is sent to the Jharkhand movement to make it look bigger, then the public outrage that has arisen against them will die down. Modi ji, stop thinking of and treating the people of India as fools," the Congress leader said.

    नरेंद्र मोदी और अमित शाह की ओछी राजनीति का एक और नमूना देखिए। पश्चिम बंगाल से ट्रकों में भर कर भाजयुमो के कुछ लड़कों को झारखण्ड भेजा जा रहा है और वहाँ चल रहे छात्रों के अहिंसक आंदोलन को अलग रंग देने का प्रयास हो रहा है।
    
    इन्हे लगता है कि अगर झारखण्ड के आंदोलन में फ़र्ज़ी भीड़… pic.twitter.com/NGwytqJzlx

    — K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) August 11, 2026

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19. AUG 11, 2026 10:05 AM

    Jharkhand Health Minister meets Manto, injured protesters at hospital

    Jharkhand Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari reached Sadar Hospital in Ranchi and met student leader Devendra Nath Mahto and other youths who were admitted to the hospital following a day-long protest outside the State Assembly on Monday.

    Several protesters were admitted to Sadar Hospital following the demonstration.

    Speaking about the protest and the developments outside the Assembly, a student protester alleged that the police used aggressive tactics against the demonstrators and claimed that the students had been protesting peacefully.

    The minister has given instructions to form a medical board for the treatment and monitoring of Mahto. He added that Mahto is out of danger now. Jharkhand health department said that the minister visited the hospital without protocol and bodyguards.

    बिना प्रोटोकॉल सदर अस्पताल पहुंचे स्वास्थ्य मंत्री डॉ. इरफान अंसारी, अनशनकारी देवेंद्र नाथ महतो से मिले
    
    रांची। स्वास्थ्य मंत्री डॉ. इरफान अंसारी देर रात बिना प्रोटोकॉल और बिना बॉडीगार्ड सदर अस्पताल पहुंचे। उन्होंने आंदोलनकारी देवेंद्र नाथ महतो समेत अन्य युवाओं से मुलाकात कर उनके… pic.twitter.com/btk3ydqLxG

    — Dr. Irfan Ansari (@IrfanAnsariMLA) August 10, 2026

20. AUG 11, 2026 09:25 AM

    We are not linked to any party, declares job aspirant

    Talking about the statewide bandh called by the BJP, a job aspirant who is protesting declared that their agitation is not linked to any party. However, he welcomed the support from political parties for the cause of the stir.

    “We are not explicitly endorsing any specific party. If someone calls for a shutdown in our support, we welcome it, but we students have no connection to politics or political parties; they are free to make their own decisions. So, it wouldn't be appropriate for us students to comment much on that. We simply stand in support of our own demands. We have only one agenda: getting our demands met,” he told ANI.

21. AUG 11, 2026 09:23 AM

    Bandh hits normal life; schools, shops shut
    

    Normal life was affected in parts of Jharkhand on Tuesday as BJP workers enforced a state-wide bandh in protest against police action on job aspirants during their march to the state assembly a day ago over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
    Most schools and business establishments remained closed, while vehicular movement was very low in the state capital Ranchi and several other cities.
    The shutdown, announced after the police used water cannons, tear gas and batons against protesters in Ranchi on Monday, was being observed from 8 am to midnight, with essential services kept outside its purview, BJP state president Aditya Sahu said.

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23. AUG 11, 2026 09:12 AM

    CJP backs protest, condemns police action

    Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke extended support to the protest after speaking to Devendra Nath Mahto, who is on hunger strike.

    Taking to his official X account, Dipke declared that CJP stands firmly with Mahto and his struggle.

    He also condemned the police lathi-charge against the protesters during the Jharkhand assembly march.

    “Spoke to Devendra Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for the past 9 days. He told me that before being taken to the hospital, he was lathi-charged by the police and suffered injuries. He is also experiencing chest pain. Be it Jantar Mantar or Jharkhand, such police brutality against students is cruel and inhuman.CJP stands firmly with Devendra bhai and his struggle. He is a true hero. We salute his courage and strength!,” wrote Dipke.

    Spoke to Devendra Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for the past 9 days.
    
    He told me that before being taken to the hospital, he was lathi-charged by the police and suffered injuries. He is also experiencing chest pain.
    
    Be it Jantar Mantar or Jharkhand, such police… pic.twitter.com/o8PkyA2Yps

    — Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) August 10, 2026

24. AUG 11, 2026 08:25 AM

    “Now we will not sit peacefully, will uproot this government,” says job aspirant

    A job aspirant who has been protesting over the alleged irregularities in the recruitment examinations vowed to uproot the Hemant Soren-led government while condemning the police lathi-charge against the protesters during the assembly march on Monday.

    Talking to ANI, he claimed that police beat up the youths who were protesting peacefully.

    “It is a matter to be seen. People of entire Jharkhand are knowing. The children of Jharkhand were brutally beaten, and yesterday we had a pre-determined programme. It is not that suddenly we are going and gheraoing the assembly… As soon as we reached there, we saw that our students were being brutally lathicharged. Water cannon is being used. In this way we were being completely mistreated… Our next step is going to be a very big movement,” he said.