The agitation by students and job aspirants in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations entered its 20th day on Thursday, with protesters refusing to call off the stir and reiterating their demands for a CBI probe and cancellation of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination.
Hundreds of students and job aspirants gathered at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, where the protest has been continuing since July 29. The protesters said they would continue their agitation until the government addressed their concerns over alleged paper leaks, irregularities and lack of transparency in examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and JSSC.
The protesters said a panel comprising four state ministers had held several rounds of discussions with their representatives. However, they maintained that the government had not agreed to their key demands of a CBI investigation and cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination.
Students also alleged that attempts were being made to divide the protesters by addressing some of their demands while leaving others unresolved. They said their agitation was aimed not only at seeking justice for candidates who had appeared in the examinations but also at ensuring greater transparency and accountability in future recruitment processes.
The agitation intensified after police used lathicharge and water cannons and made arrests during demonstrations on August 10 and 11, according to protesters and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The students have criticised the action during their march towards the Jharkhand Assembly.
The protesters have also announced a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ on August 15 to strengthen their agitation. The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch warned the state government against registering FIRs against what it described as genuine students participating in the movement.
The Manch also rejected allegations by Congress minister Shilpy Neha Tirkey that the delegation which met the government panel did not include students. Protesters displayed their identity cards and said the government should not interfere with their careers or attempt to undermine their representation.
Four protesters continue hunger strike
The health condition of four students and activists on hunger strike remained stable on Thursday, although doctors said some of their electrolyte levels were abnormal.
Ranchi Sadar Hospital Deputy Superintendent Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh said Devendra Mahto, Rahul Kranti, Umme Habiba and Mahendra Pratap were continuing their fast and were under regular medical supervision. They were being administered multivitamin infusions through dextrose normal saline, while doctors continued to monitor their sodium, potassium and magnesium levels.
Devendra Nath Mahto, a leader of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM), has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 12 days. He was admitted to the hospital on Monday after his health deteriorated following the August 10 march to the Assembly.
Doctors said Mahto’s vital signs were stable but he could not be discharged because of an electrolyte imbalance. Mahto has maintained that his protest would continue even while he receives treatment.
Two other protesters, Umme Habiba and Rahul Kranti, were also admitted to hospital after their health deteriorated. Habiba has appealed to Chief Minister Hemant Soren to address the students’ concerns and said she would continue her hunger strike until their demands were met.
Kranti, a resident of Palamu district, began his fast at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium on August 4 and was shifted to hospital on August 7. He has since started taking a liquid diet, including fruit juice and milk, and his condition has been gradually improving.
ABVP holds protests across country
The agitation also received support from the ABVP, which on Thursday organised protests in several cities across the country demanding an impartial CBI investigation into the alleged JPSC-JSSC examination irregularities.
In New Delhi, ABVP members and students protested outside Jharkhand Bhawan in Vasant Vihar. Similar demonstrations were held in Lucknow, Kolkata, Guwahati, Agartala, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Surat, Gorakhpur, Jodhpur, Kota, Raipur, Bhubaneswar, Varanasi and Prayagraj, as well as at several university campuses, the organisation said.
ABVP National General Secretary Virendra Singh Solanki demanded a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities, cancellation and re-conduct of the JSSC-CGL examination, and strict action against those responsible.
The organisation also questioned the credibility of the ongoing investigation, citing repeated changes in the Special Investigation Team constituted to examine the allegations.
ABVP National Secretary Aditya Takiar said students in Jharkhand were fighting for justice and that the organisation would continue peaceful protests until action was taken. Delhi unit secretary Sarthak Sharma said the issue had acquired national significance, with students across the country expressing solidarity with the protesters.
With the agitation continuing for a third week, the protesters have made it clear that they will not withdraw their movement unless the government agrees to their principal demands, particularly a CBI probe and cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination.
(With PTI inputs)
