The students’ protest in Ranchi against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations entered its 21st day on Friday, with demonstrators planning to take out a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ on the occasion of the country’s 80th Independence Day celebrations on August 15.
They also cautioned the district administration against 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.
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 the 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.
Several police personnel were injured in the confrontation, following which the police used batons, water cannons and tear gas 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.
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.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has maintained that his government is committed to reforming the recruitment examination process. He has accused the opposition of using the agitation for political gains.
The BJP alleged that the Hemant Soren government was attempting to suppress the movement. Former chief minister Raghubar Das has threatened to go on a hunger strike if the demand for a CBI probe is not fulfilled within a week.
Meanwhile, 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.
-(with inputs from PTI)
