Kewal Dhillon Questions Rahul Gandhi’s Absence From Jharkhand Student Protest

Punjab BJP president Kewal Dhillon has criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his absence from Ranchi following a lathi-charge on students who were protesting in Jharkhand. Dhillon accused the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of engaging in what he described as “selective protest politics” on public issues. Questioning Gandhi’s decision not to visit the protest site, Dhillon said the Opposition should explain why its leaders respond strongly to certain incidents while remaining absent from others. His remarks came as he targeted both Congress and AAP over their positions on issues in different states.

“Rahul Gandhi raises issues in Delhi, but why did he not go to Ranchi? The Opposition should explain this double standard,” Dhillon said. He was referring to the lathi-charge on protesting students in Ranchi and questioning why Gandhi had not travelled to the Jharkhand capital following the incident. Dhillon's criticism was framed around what he described as inconsistent political responses by Opposition leaders. His comments added to the political debate surrounding the student protest and the response of political parties to demonstrations involving public grievances.

Dhillon also criticised the Opposition's decision to boycott Parliament, arguing that political parties should use the legislature to raise concerns and seek answers from the government. While acknowledging that Opposition parties have the right to question the government, he said parliamentary proceedings provide an important forum for discussing public issues. According to Dhillon, boycotting Parliament prevents matters from being debated and allows political parties to avoid using a formal platform where ministers can be questioned and responses can be placed on record.

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The Punjab BJP chief further argued that prolonged disruptions or boycotts of Parliament amount to a waste of public money because taxpayers fund the functioning of the legislature. He said important issues affecting citizens should instead be raised through constructive debate inside the House. Dhillon's remarks came as the Opposition continued to face criticism from the BJP over its approach to parliamentary proceedings. He maintained that political parties should focus on legislative debate rather than relying primarily on protests or boycotts to highlight issues.

Dhillon also turned his criticism towards Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal over allegations concerning paper leaks. He alleged that AAP leaders raise the issue forcefully when allegations of examination paper leaks arise in Delhi but remain silent when similar allegations are made in Punjab. “Why does AAP speak loudly about paper leaks in Delhi but remain silent when the issue concerns Punjab?” Dhillon asked. The allegations were part of his broader argument that Congress and AAP leaders adopt different positions depending on the political circumstances and location of an issue.

The BJP leader also questioned the Punjab government's handling of employees' demands for Dearness Allowance (DA), adding another issue to his criticism of the state administration. Dhillon accused Congress and AAP leaders of changing their positions according to political convenience and said the Opposition should adopt a more consistent approach to public concerns. He further argued that India is progressing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and said Opposition parties should prioritise constructive political debate. His remarks brought together his criticism of Rahul Gandhi's absence from Ranchi, the Parliament boycott, alleged paper-leak issues and employee demands as examples of what he described as selective political engagement.

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