J’khand agitation Day 23: Protesters criticise Rahul Gandhi over ‘hollow’ assurances

Student protests over alleged recruitment exam irregularities and paper leaks in Jharkhand entered their 23rd day, with agitators criticising Rahul Gandhi and Hemant Soren. Protesters plan to burn their effigies and demand cancellation of exams, a CBI probe and action

Ranchi: As the protest over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) entered its 23rd day on Sunday, the students lashed out at Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for his “hollow” assurances to them.

Moreover, the protesters have planned to burn the effigies of the Congress leader as well as Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren during a demonstration later in the day.

---

A student protester, Ravindra Kumar Paswan, told IANS that the agitators have decided to continue their protest against the ruling alliance in Jharkhand till their demands are met “After days of protest, we are now changing our mode of agitation, and somewhere the government itself is responsible for this. We have been protesting peacefully and following Gandhian principles for the past 22 days, but the government seems to be ignoring us. The government is now forcing us (students) to follow the path of Bhagat Singh,” he said.

He added: “Now we have decided to undertake a do-or-die battle. Until the JSSC examination is cancelled, a CBI probe is ordered, and till all examinations, which have been conducted by TDPL, are not cancelled, we will continue our protest.”

Paswan said that students are extremely frustrated over the government not listening to their demands despite so many days of agitation.

“Today we are going to burn effigies of (Jharkhand Chief Minister) Hemant Soren and (Lok Sabha LoP) Rahul Gandhi. We will burn Rahul Gandhi’s effigy also because Congress is in alliance with the JMM in Jharkhand and despite giving assurances over phone call and social media post, he (Gandhi) is not doing anything for us. The assurances are of no use,” he said.

Criticising the LoP, the student protester said: “Why is Rahul Gandhi not helping us despite giving assurances? On one hand, he (Gandhi) says that he is standing with the students, while on the other, his party’s Minister does not have control over their language. If Rahul Gandhi is a senior leader of the Congress, then how come he doesn’t have control over what his party’s leader says?” Paswan was referring to Jharkhand Minister and Congress leader Shilpi Neha Tirkey who had reportedly remarked that the student delegation who met the government did not include the actual fasting or protesting students.

“So, the JMM and the Congress party are equally responsible. Even if Congress is really concerned about the students, then it should clear its stand on the matter…all of us students are fighting hard against both the JMM and Congress,” the protester asserted.

A controversy erupted a day earlier after Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto was allegedly not allowed to leave the hospital premises, where he has been admitted following health deterioration due to a hunger strike, to join the ‘Tiranga Yatra’ in Ranchi.