Agartala | Tripura Transport and Tourism Minister and BJP leader Sushanta Chowdhury on Tuesday extended moral support to the ongoing student agitation in Jharkhand, while accusing the Congress of adopting “double standards” on student movements and using youth issues for political gains.

Addressing a press conference at Kushabhau Bhavan, the Tripura BJP headquarters, Chowdhury said the agitation in Jharkhand, which is centred on demands for a corruption-free administration, transparent recruitment and protection of students’ future, was a democratic movement that deserved to be heard.

He said the BJP supported the protesters’ demands and urged the Congress-JMM government in Jharkhand to engage with the students and resolve the issues raised by them. Chowdhury accused the Congress of taking different positions on student protests depending on the state or political circumstances.

“Congress follows one policy in Delhi, another in Bengal, a different policy in Tripura, another in Jharkhand and yet another in Kerala,” he alleged, claiming that such “double standards” were gradually eroding the party’s public support.

The minister also questioned the role of Tripura Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury in the Jharkhand agitation. He asked why the CPI(M) leader had travelled to Delhi but had not visited Ranchi to express solidarity with the protesting students.

Chowdhury further alleged that police excesses had been reported during the agitation and claimed that women protesters were also subjected to mistreatment. He said the use of force against students exercising their democratic rights was unacceptable.

The BJP leader also targeted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the party’s alliance with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) had influenced its response to the protests. “If Rahul Gandhi is genuinely concerned about students’ rights, he should put pressure on the Jharkhand government to address their grievances,” Chowdhury said.

He accused the Congress of selectively raising student-related issues for political purposes while failing to play an effective role in resolving the ongoing agitation in Ranchi. Chowdhury also attacked the Congress over the controversy surrounding alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including the NEET question paper leak issue.

He alleged that the opposition party had attempted to disrupt parliamentary proceedings over examination-related issues, while the Narendra Modi-led government had taken legislative and administrative measures to strengthen the examination system.

The minister said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had taken responsibility for safeguarding the credibility of the examination system and initiated measures to address concerns over examination irregularities.

Chowdhury urged political parties and the media to view student movements beyond partisan considerations and respect the democratic right to protest. Reiterating the BJP’s support for the Jharkhand students, he called on the Congress-JMM government to engage with the protesters and address their demands, saying that legitimate student concerns should not be ignored for political reasons.