Students protesting alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations have announced plans to burn effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi at district headquarters across the state on Sunday, escalating the weeks-long agitation.
The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch has also called for a gherao of Soren’s residence on August 20, saying protesters will remain there until their demands are addressed.
For the first time, the protesters have also sought Soren’s resignation, holding the government accountable over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
Their main demands include scrapping the JSSC CGL examination and the 11th-13th JPSC examination, as well as recommending a CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities.
TIRANGA YATRA IN RANCHI
The latest announcements came as students organised a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ in Ranchi on Saturday to mark the country’s 80th Independence Day, with the agitation entering its 22nd day.
Thousands of protesters marched from Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, where the ongoing agitation is being held, to Albert Ekka Chowk while carrying the national flag and chanting slogans including ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’.
Several students taking part in the march said their broader objective was to rebuild confidence in Jharkhand’s recruitment system.
“Independence doesn’t just mean freedom from the British, but also freedom from inequality of opportunities, corruption and injustice,” the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch said.
FASTING PROTESTER CLAIMS POLICE STOPPED HIM
The agitation also focused attention on JLKM leader Devendra Mahto, who has been on hunger strike for 14 days. Mahto alleged that police stopped him from leaving Sadar Hospital to participate in the Tiranga Yatra.
A video showed a security official preventing Mahto from leaving the hospital as he attempted to join the march. Several Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JKLM) workers were seen asking the official to let Mahto participate, while the official appeared to urge them to allow the fasting activist to rest.
Mahto questioned why he was being stopped from attending the march at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. “After 80 years, we have realised that we have got only nominal freedom. Under which provision of the Constitution am I being stopped?” he said.
He further alleged that efforts were underway to divert the students’ movement, claiming that some individuals were attempting to weaken the agitation nearly a month after it began.
SOREN PROMISES ACTION AND SYSTEMIC REFORMS
The escalation has come despite assurances from Chief Minister Hemant Soren that allegations of irregularities in recruitment examinations would be investigated fairly.
In his Independence Day address, Soren acknowledged that questions surrounding recruitment examinations had undermined the confidence of an entire generation of job aspirants.
He said strict action would be taken against anyone found responsible for paper leaks, corruption or other irregularities, regardless of their position or influence.
The Chief Minister also called for structural reforms aimed at preventing manipulation of examinations.
Among the measures he outlined were a time-bound annual examination calendar, greater reliance on technology, timely release of answer keys and OMR sheets, and increased accountability within the recruitment system.
For the protesters, however, these assurances have not been sufficient. With the planned August 20 gherao, the demand for Soren’s resignation and the proposed effigy-burning demonstrations targeting both Soren and Gandhi, the agitation has entered a more confrontational stage.
