The Harmu road in Ranchi, the Jharkhand BJP headquarters, virtually turned into a battleground when BJP and Congress workers clashed with each other on Thursday morning during a protest over the NEET issue. As Congress workers marched to gherao the BJP office, BJP supporters came in the way, and the situation led to a volatile face-off marked by slogan-shouting and the hurling of eggs, tomatoes and water bottles.
Thousands of Congress workers marching towards the BJP’s state office on Harmu Road demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and accountability in the alleged NEET paper leak case. However, the administration stopped the protesters around 100 metres before the BJP office by setting up multiple layers of barricades.
As demonstrators attempted to move forward, they reportedly tried to remove police barricades, triggering a confrontation with security personnel. Pushing and jostling ensued between Congress workers and the police, who eventually prevented the protesters from advancing further.
Meanwhile, a large number of BJP supporters gathered outside the party office, carrying party flags and raising slogans against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the opposition party. As workers from both sides came face-to-face, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Soon, eggs, tomatoes and water bottles were thrown by rival groups.
In a dramatic turn, some BJP workers climbed atop a fire brigade vehicle and allegedly hurled tomatoes and eggs towards the Congress protesters. Congress workers retaliated by throwing eggs and other objects, creating chaotic scenes in the area.
Given the escalating situation, the Harmu Road area and adjoining localities were turned into a virtual security zone. A heavy deployment of police personnel, rapid action units and senior administrative officials was made to prevent the two groups from coming into confrontation and to maintain law and order.
The protest also severely disrupted traffic on Harmu Road, resulting in long vehicle queues. Traffic police subsequently diverted vehicles through alternative routes to ease congestion. Notably, the latest confrontation comes a day after BJP and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha workers staged a protest outside the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) office over alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC preliminary examination.
BJP workers had later marched towards the Congress office, creating tensions between the two parties. Thursday’s Congress protest over the NEET issue further intensified the ongoing political rivalry in the state.