Jharkhand Congress defends police stopping hunger-striking leader from Tiranga Yatra

A Jharkhand Congress leader has defended police actions that prevented a student leader from leaving a hospital to participate in a "Tiranga Yatra" on Independence Day. Kumar Raja, a Congress leader, stated that student leader Devendra Nath Mahto's health should be prioritized over political activities. Mahto, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 14 days, was admitted to Sadar Hospital in Ranchi after a protest march turned violent, with police using lathicharge and tear gas.

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His health is a higher priority than scoring political points.

Raja accused the BJP of politicizing the situation, calling them "uneducated and boorish" for "playing politics over dead bodies." He emphasized that the government is sensitive to the students' concerns, with officials regularly monitoring Mahto's health and ongoing talks with the protesters. "If he were to step out in his current medical condition, he could face serious complications. For us, his health is a higher priority than scoring political points," Raja told ANI.

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BJP is a party that plays politics over dead bodies; they are uneducated and boorish.

Earlier, Mahto alleged that a heavy police force was deployed outside his hospital room after he expressed his desire to join the Independence Day flag-hoisting and Tricolour March. He questioned the "freedom" in the country, asking if citizens were not free to participate in national events. Thousands of students have been protesting at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has committed to ensuring transparency in the examination process.

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After expressing my desire to participate in the flag hoisting and Tricolour March organised at the protest site, Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, a heavy police force has been deployed outside my room in the Sadar Hospital. What kind of freedom is this, after all?