Jharkhand job exam stir enters 21st day, students plan Tiranga Yatra

The protest by Jharkhand students over alleged recruitment exam irregularities entered its 21st day on Friday. Protesters plan to take out a Tiranga Yatra on August 15, while police continue investigating violence during the August 10 Vidhan Sabha March.

Ranchi: The students’ protest against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations entered its 21st day on Friday, with demonstrators planning to take out a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ to celebrate the country’s 80th Independence Day on August 15.

They also criticised the Ranchi district administration for an FIR lodged over the violence during the August 10 march towards the State Assembly, asserting that the ‘Tiranga Yatra’ on Independence Day would further strengthen their movement.

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The protesters, under the banner of JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, have been demanding greater transparency in recruitment examinations, cancellation of several tests and an independent probe by the CBI or a panel of retired judges from outside the State.

The police continued examining video footage to identify miscreants involved in creating violence during the ‘Vidhan Sabha March’ by job aspirants on Monday.

The FIR was lodged against 300 unnamed people over the August 10 march towards the State Assembly, during which the demonstrators clashed with security personnel.

The case, registered at Vidhan Sabha police station, relates to alleged violation of prohibitory orders, damage to government property and attacks on police personnel, Ranchi SP Paras Rana said.

The Ranchi administration had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS within a 750-metre radius of the Assembly building ahead of the monsoon session.

DSP (Hatia) Neeraj Kumar said no arrests or detentions had been made so far and the police were examining video footage to identify those involved in violence on that day.

Fourteen police personnel were injured in the confrontation, following which the police used batons, water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.

JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan appealed to the government not to target genuine students.

“If the administration has registered an FIR against unidentified persons, we do not have any objection. But we would like to appeal to the administration and the Jharkhand government not to file an FIR against any student,” he said.

Meanwhile, concern remains over the health of Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on hunger strike for 13 days.

Mahto was admitted to the Sadar Hospital on Monday after his condition deteriorated following participation in the Assembly march. On Wednesday, he sought permission from the Ranchi civil surgeon to return to the protest site.

Four other students on hunger strike are also undergoing treatment at the same hospital, according to the protesters.

The State CID has also conducted raids at multiple locations to execute arrest warrants against seven accused in cases linked to alleged irregularities in competitive examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), officials said.

The probe agency has so far arrested 20 people, including former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte, in connection with the alleged irregularities in the recruitment examinations.

The agitation has received support from several social organisations, authors and others, many of whom have been providing free food to the protesters since the movement began.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren has maintained that his government is committed to recruitment examination reforms and has assured protesters that the 14th JPSC examination would be cancelled.

He has also accused the opposition BJP of using the agitation for political gains.

The BJP alleged that the Hemant Soren government was attempting to suppress the movement.

The Congress, an ally of the ruling alliance, accused the BJP of politicising the students’ agitation and bringing workers from outside the State to disrupt the protest.

Former chief minister Raghubar Das has threatened to undertake a hunger strike if the demand for a CBI probe is not fulfilled within a week.

RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has announced protests at more than 1,200 universities over the issue and questioned the credibility of the State-appointed SIT, citing repeated changes in its composition.