Gandhinagar, Aug 11 — Gujarat Minister Jitu Vaghani on Tuesday questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his response to the student protests in Jharkhand, asking why a leader who raises students' issues at Delhi's Jantar Mantar did not "see the pain" of students protesting in Jharkhand.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP's state office in Gandhinagar, Vaghani alleged that students in Jharkhand had been subjected to "atrocities" while peacefully raising concerns over their future, competitive examinations and irregularities in recruitment, including paper leaks.
"Why does Rahul Gandhi, who politicises students' issues at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, not see the pain of students in Jharkhand?" he said.
He questioned why Rahul Gandhi had "different standards for Delhi and Jharkhand", alleging that students were being treated harshly under the Congress-JMM coalition government in Jharkhand.
Vaghani said the students had been putting forward their demands in a peaceful and disciplined manner, without indecent behaviour or abusive language.
He referred to reports of the use of barbed wire, cane charges, tear gas and water cannons against the protesters, describing such treatment as "extremely serious and condemnable".
He said the alleged treatment of students in Jharkhand raised questions about Rahul Gandhi's silence.
"The youth of the country have recognised Rahul Gandhi and Congress' double standards, selective politics and insensitivity," he said, adding that issues concerning young people's future and rights should be addressed with sensitivity and responsibility rather than "selective politics".
Vaghani also criticised the alleged mistreatment of journalists covering the student protests in Jharkhand.
"Videos had emerged showing journalists who had gone there to perform their duties being treated improperly. The media is an important pillar of democracy. Any attempt to prevent journalists from performing their duty is condemnable," he said.
On examination-related irregularities, Vaghani added that anyone compromising the future of young people should face strict action.
"The Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced stringent legal provisions against serious offences such as paper leaks and provided for strict punishment for those found guilty. Congress should explain why similar stringent mechanisms had not been created during its previous governments," he said.
Vaghani also turned his criticism towards the Opposition's conduct in the ongoing Parliament session.
He said Union ministers J.P. Nadda, Kiren Rijiju and Piyush Goyal had said that the Central government was ready to respond to issues raised in Parliament.
He specifically said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was ready to give a reply.
"When the government is ready for discussion and to give answers, why is Congress disrupting the proceedings of Parliament?" he asked.
Vaghani alleged that Congress had been disrupting Parliamentary proceedings for the past 15 days and preventing discussion on important national issues.
Parliament, he said, was a "sacred temple of democracy" where matters concerning citizens, government policies and issues of national importance should be debated.
He also accused Rahul Gandhi of spreading misinformation, referring to an alleged claim that firing had taken place at Jantar Mantar.
Vaghani said former BJP President J.P. Nadda had said that not a single gun shot had been fired there.
He alleged that Congress did not want Parliament to function or Home Minister Amit Shah to respond because a debate would expose what he described as Rahul Gandhi's "false and misleading" claims.
"If the Opposition has questions, they should raise them in Parliament according to the rules and constitutional provisions. If there is no discussion in Parliament, where will the discussion take place?" Vaghani added.
He said that people wanted to see their elected representatives discuss national issues in Parliament rather than obstruct its proceedings.
"Repeatedly changing the issue, making misleading claims and diverting public attention from the core question of the discussion has become Congress' politics," he added.
Vaghani demanded that Rahul Gandhi and Congress apologise for what he described as "brutal atrocities" against students in Jharkhand by the Congress-JMM coalition government.