The violence in Giridih on Holi has sparked a major political dispute in Jharkhand. The issue was raised in the state assembly on Tuesday during the budget session, leading to heated arguments between political parties.

As soon as the Question Hour began, Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi demanded an urgent discussion on the incident, causing an uproar. The Speaker was forced to temporarily suspend proceedings due to the chaos.

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Violent clashes between two communities marred Holi celebrations in Jharkhand’s Giridih on Friday, leading to vehicles being set on fire and a brief disruption of peace in the district.

After the Holi break, the assembly resumed, but discussions were quickly overshadowed by the Giridih violence. Describing the incident in the Ghodthamba area under Dhanwar police station, Marandi said a group of youths playing with colors was stopped by the police, leading to a confrontation. He alleged that another group then attacked with petrol bombs and stones. Several shops and vehicles were set on fire, and the police did nothing to stop it, he claimed.

Marandi also accused the police of unfair treatment. He said that an FIR was filed against 40 people from both sides, with 11 arrests made from each group. He questioned the fairness of the investigation and demanded a special discussion on law and order. He also accused the police of arresting innocent people from their homes at night.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Radha Krishna Kishore responded, saying that such issues should be discussed during the Home Department’s budget session rather than being used for political gains.

Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu said the incident was being presented in a biased way. He argued that the administration had acted responsibly and that some miscreants in the procession were responsible for the violence.

Congress MLA Pradeep Yadav condemned the incident, saying that the violence in Giridih was planned to create trouble, while other parts of Jharkhand remained peaceful. He mentioned that members of Ekra Mosque and Hindus celebrated Holi together in some places, showing that communal harmony still exists in the state.

State Minister Irfan Ansari directly blamed the BJP for the violence. Speaking to reporters in the assembly, he accused BJP leaders of creating unrest and questioned why former Chief Minister Raghubar Das visited the affected area. He claimed that Das’s visit was meant to provoke more trouble. Ansari warned BJP leaders not to disturb peace in Jharkhand and assured that the Hemant Soren government would not allow communal harmony to be disrupted.

As the debate intensified, BJP MLAs stormed into the Well, shouting slogans against the government and accusing it of failing to maintain law and order. With both sides sticking to their arguments, the Giridih violence has become a major political issue in Jharkhand, and further confrontations are expected in the coming days.