India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
Jharkhand Bandh: The BJP’s state unit has called for a statewide bandh on Tuesday, August 11, to protest police action against JPSC and JSSC aspirants during a march towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi. The shutdown will be observed from 8 am to midnight, with BJP leaders accusing the Hemant Soren government of using excessive force against protesting students.
BJP state president Aditya Sahu said the bandh was called to protest what he described as “injustice and atrocities” against students. He alleged that hundreds of protesters were injured after police used lathis, tear gas and water cannons during Monday’s demonstration.
The BJP called a Jharkhand statewide bandh on August 11 to protest police action against JPSC and JSSC aspirants in Ranchi over alleged recruitment exam irregularities, while the government agreed to cancel the 14th JPSC exam and ordered an ED probe into financial irregularities.
Sahu also alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, including the alleged sale of jobs and advance leakage of examination papers. He said BJP workers would take to the streets in support of the protesting students.
Jharkhand Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi also criticised the state government, saying he and others were detained while supporting the protesters.
Marandi questioned why the government had not ordered a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities. He said students had been holding sit-ins and hunger strikes for 15 days and accused the government of using force instead of engaging with them.
The bandh follows a confrontation between police and JPSC and JSSC aspirants during a ‘Vidhan Sabha gherao’ march in Ranchi on Monday.
Thousands of job aspirants marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly to protest alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. Police used water cannons and tear gas to stop the protesters from moving towards the Assembly.
According to a PTI report, protesters breached several barricades while marching towards the Assembly, where the monsoon session was underway.
Protesters alleged that several students, including women, were injured during the police action. Ranchi SSP Rakesh Ranjan, however, said 14 police personnel were injured in stone pelting.
Police said CCTV footage would be analysed to identify those involved in the violence.
After protesters crossed the final barricade and reached Gate No. 1 of the Assembly, where they staged a sit-in, police carried out another lathi-charge.
What Are JPSC, JSSC Students Demanding?
The students have been protesting since July 25 over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, particularly the JSSC-CGL examination.
Their demands include cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, a CBI probe and reforms in the functioning of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission.
The protesters are also demanding cancellation of several recruitment examinations, including the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination. They have sought an independent investigation either by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges from outside Jharkhand.
JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who had been on a hunger strike for nine days, also joined Monday’s march in an ambulance despite his deteriorating health.
He was later admitted to Ranchi Sadar Hospital after his blood sugar level dropped drastically. Doctors described his condition as critical.
Mahto addressed the protesters while on a stretcher and criticised the alleged use of force against the students.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has appealed to the protesting students to resolve their grievances through dialogue.
Soren said students had a democratic right to raise their concerns and assured them that the government would examine their demands with “utmost seriousness and sensitivity”. He also accused opposition leaders of trying to mislead students for political gains and urged protesters not to fall into a political trap.
The state government has agreed to cancel the 14th JPSC examination and backlog examinations of 2023 and 2025.
Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar said the government had also agreed to an Enforcement Directorate probe after evidence of financial irregularities emerged.
On the JSSC-CGL examination, Kumar said the government could not order its cancellation because the examination was conducted under court monitoring.
The government has proposed a committee headed by a retired high court judge to oversee the CID investigation, but the protesters have rejected the proposal.
The dispute escalated further on Monday after the Enforcement Directorate launched a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in multiple recruitment examinations, particularly the JSSC-CGL examination.
The Jharkhand CID also arrested former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte in connection with the alleged irregularities. His arrest took the number of people apprehended by the CID in the case to 20.
The agency had earlier conducted searches at 18 locations across Ranchi, Palamu, Hazaribagh, Bokaro and Dhanbad.
