Jharkhand erupts over exam row: Students clash with police, tear gas fired
Thousands of job aspirants protesting alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations clashed with police near the state Assembly on Monday, with security personnel using water
Thousands of job aspirants protesting alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations clashed with police near the state Assembly on Monday, with security personnel using water cannons, tear gas shells and lathi charges to stop them from reaching the legislature. The protesters, carrying the national flag and placards demanding cancellation of recruitment exams and an independent probe, breached several barricades despite heavy security deployment. Several demonstrators claimed they were injured in the police action. Read Full Story The protest came as the Jharkhand Assembly was in session and coincided with Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s 51st birthday. The march began around 10.30 am from outside the old Assembly building and proceeded towards the current Assembly complex. Protesters crossed one barricade after another as security personnel attempted to contain the gathering. When the march reached the final barricade near Jagannathpur Temple, police deployed water cannons. The protesters initially responded by waving tricolours and dancing, but tensions escalated when they attempted to move ahead towards the Assembly. Police then resorted to lathi charges and fired several rounds of tear gas shells when the demonstrators were around 200 metres from the Assembly. Several protesters alleged that police personnel beat them on their heads, arms and faces. Vikram Kumar, who had travelled from Hazaribag, said he suffered a head injury during the police action. "Whatever the Hemant Soren government is doing to us is not good. We were protesting peacefully; then why is your police baton charging us?" he asked. PROTESTERS DEMAND CANCELLATION OF EXAMS The agitation, led by the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, has been continuing for more than two weeks over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
The protesters are demanding comprehensive reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). They have also sought cancellation of several recruitment tests, including the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination. They are demanding an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities, either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a panel of retired high court judges from outside Jharkhand. The protesters said the government had agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they wanted scrapped. Placards carried during Monday’s march read: "Cancel JSSC-CGL Exams or Conduct a CBI Probe", "Why is CID escaping from conducting a raid on JSSC?" and "Conduct an impartial investigation, bring out the truth." PROTESTERS DEMAND CANCELLATION OF EXAMS The agitation, led by the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, has been continuing for more than two weeks over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. The protesters are demanding comprehensive reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). They have also sought cancellation of several recruitment tests, including the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination. They are demanding an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities, either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a panel of retired high court judges from outside Jharkhand. The protesters said the government had agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they wanted scrapped. Placards carried during Monday’s march read: "Cancel JSSC-CGL Exams or Conduct a CBI Probe", "Why is CID escaping from conducting a raid on JSSC?" and "Conduct an impartial investigation, bring out the truth." MAHTO JOINS MARCH IN AMBULANCE JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for nine days over the issue, joined the 'Vidhan Sabha gherao' march in an ambulance and took part in the protest on a stretcher.
The BriefWire