Jharkhand exam protest enters Day 13, reaches Assembly as six fast on
The protest over irregularities in recruitment examinations in Jharkhand intensified on Thursday, with opposition MLAs staging a demonstration on the Assembly premises on the first
The protest over irregularities in recruitment examinations in Jharkhand intensified on Thursday, with opposition MLAs staging a demonstration on the Assembly premises on the first day of the Monsoon Session. The agitation, led by students and job aspirants, has been under way for the past 13 days, with six protesters now on hunger strike. The stir began on July 25 under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi and has emerged as one of the biggest student-led movements in the state in recent years. Read Full Story The protesters are demanding cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination and an independent probe into the irregularities, either by the CBI or by a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state. Just before the Assembly session began, MLAs of the opposition NDA bloc protested and demanded a CBI inquiry into the irregularities in recruitment examinations. Raising slogans against the state government, BJP chief whip Naveen Jaiswal said, "The government has set up a committee. But it should know that nobody trusts your CID and committee.
The probe should be conducted by the CBI." BJP MLA from Koderma Neera Yadav referred to the Delhi protest over the NEET exam paper leak and said, "The Congress puts up one mask when the stir is in Delhi and a different one for Jharkhand." The Congress is an ally of the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand, but it has extended support to the students protesting at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. Chief Minister Hemant Soren had said on Wednesday that question paper leak issues were a national problem and offered talks to resolve the impasse. Responding to the BJP's allegations on Thursday, Jharkhand minister Sudivya Kumar said the government was serious about the issue raised by the students. "I would like to thank the students who have given a positive response. A fruitful discussion is possible today," he said. As student unions proposed picketing the Assembly on August 7 and 10, a prohibitory order was imposed within a 750-metre radius of the building from August 6 to 12, between 6 am and 10 pm. At the protest site, demonstrators continued to press for wider reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission.
Five protesters, including two women, joined Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha leader Devendra Nath Mahto in his hunger strike. Mahto has been on fast for the past five days. Mahto's health became a concern after his blood sugar and pressure levels dropped sharply. Social activist Sonam Wangchuk, who recently observed a 26-day hunger strike in Delhi over the NEET paper leak issue, spoke to him on the phone and urged him to at least drink water to protect his health. Following Wangchuk's appeal, Mahto drank water. The protesters said they had been forced to take this extreme step after repeated appeals to the government had failed to bring any concrete action. JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch spokesperson Jivan Kumar had said on Wednesday, "Our five friends, including two women, have joined the hunger strike to strengthen the movement and press for our demands." One of the fasting protesters, Sabita Kumari, said the government had "ignored" students' concerns, leaving them with no option but to intensify the agitation. Another protester, Habiba, appealed to the chief minister and said, "The chief minister is like our guardian.
The BriefWire