Protests Intensify in India’s Jharkhand: Students Surround Legislative Assembly

Kathmandu: Protests led by students and job aspirants have intensified in Jharkhand, India, over alleged irregularities in examinations and government recruitment processes. As part of the ongoing movement, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) held a demonstration on Tuesday, marching from the old Legislative Assembly to the new Legislative Assembly building.

Candidates appearing for the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations have been protesting for a long time over various demands.

Their primary demands include the cancellation of the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into alleged irregularities, and systemic reforms in the government recruitment process.

On Monday, JPSC and JSSC candidates organized a march to surround the Legislative Assembly. Police used baton charges (lathi charge) and water cannons to control the demonstrators, turning the student protest into a major political issue.

Babulal Marandi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly and a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, stated that the students' voices cannot be suppressed through force. He asserted that the students' main demand is a CBI inquiry, emphasizing that an impartial investigation is essential to punish the guilty and exonerate the innocent. Accusing the government of attempting to crush the protest with force instead of addressing their demands, he warned that the movement would spread to every village in Jharkhand.

Marandi further noted that the Jharkhand BJP called for a statewide shutdown on Tuesday in support of the students following the administration's use of baton charges and tear gas during Monday's demonstration.

Meanwhile, Mahua Maji, a Member of Parliament from the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), accused the BJP of politically instigating the students. She claimed that the government has already accepted most of the students' demands and is reviewing the remaining issues.

According to Maji, nearly 98% of the candidates' demands have been accepted, while the remaining 2% do not fall directly under the government's jurisdiction. She explained that the decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL exam cannot be made immediately as the matter remains sub-judice in court.

She added that canceling the CGL exam could cause injustice to other youth who appeared for it. She also mentioned that Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has assured a thorough review of the students' concerns.

With the student movement taking a political turn, security arrangements in Ranchi have been significantly tightened. Political tensions continue to rise in Jharkhand as students and job seekers persist with their demonstrations demanding transparency and an impartial investigation into the recruitment process. — ANI