Jharkhand JPSC-JSSC protest enters Day 12; govt invites students for talks, JLKM leader Mahato ends hunger strike

Students have been holding a round-the-clock sit-in at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium since July 25, demanding cancellation of the 14th JPSC Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination, a CBI and ED probe into alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams, disclosure of OMR sheets, answer scripts and category-wise cut-offs, blacklisting of controversial examination agencies, and comprehensive reforms in the state's recruitment bodies.

Ranchi Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kumar Rajat and Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Dhananjay Kumar reached the protest site and, on behalf of the CM, invited a 5-member delegation of protesters for a discussion at the CM residence.

"They (protesting aspirants) have sought some time. They have been given the same. They will then tell us. We will continue to be here," Rajat told reporters,

The aspirants said any discussion with the CM will be held only among the students and demanded 2 hours to deliberate on the proposal.

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren met Governor Santosh Gangwar at Raj Bhavan and briefed him on the alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC and the ongoing protest.

Governor Gangwar stressed the necessity of making the exam process transparent and fair and called the alleged irregularities a "very serious matter." Soren assured that the State Govt is committed to justice for students and that "no injustice will be allowed to happen."

Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahato, who was on an indefinite hunger strike since August 2, ended his fast after taking water following an intervention by activist Sonam Wangchuk via video call.

In a conversation with Wangchuk, he said, "We have been on Satyagraha since July 25th; I sat on the indefinite hunger strike on August 2nd. I was extremely exhausted; it was a critical time. Papers have been leaking here for 26 years. Yesterday, the doctor warned that if I didn't take water, I would have to be admitted to the hospital."

Mahato added that Activist Sonam Wangchuk said, "Please take some water; this is tantamount to suicide... You need some time, but it could be 2-3 weeks as well, and I hope that the government will understand and make the right decision."

"I have taken water today, but my hunger strike will continue," Mahato added. "I don't want to break my fast. People have been deeply troubled by the situation for the past 26 years. Jobs are being sold off; every exam paper is getting leaked," he added.

Amid the ongoing agitation, protesting students carried out a Tiranga Yatra in Ranchi.

One protesting student said, "We are undertaking this Tiranga march, demanding the resignation of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, so that the selling of exam papers and jobs can be stopped. We demand that whatever talks (government) will happen will happen in front of the media."

Another student said, "There is no education in any educational institution or university in Jharkhand. We do not want Chief Minister Hemant Soren's resignation. What we actually want from him is an improvement in the education system. Call upon anyone, consult anyone, but improve the education system."

NSUI National President Vinod Jakhar and Congress MLA and Rajasthan Youth Congress President Abhimanyu Poonia met the protesting students at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium.

Speaking to ANI, Poonia said, "We stand firmly with the students and their demands. We are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the student committee formed for this cause, ready to support whatever future course of action they decide upon, in every possible way and under all circumstances. The Chief Minister is taking the students' demands seriously; these demands have been under discussion for a long time, and a major meeting might take place today as well. We certainly stand with the students in every possible situation. We, the entire Congress family, stand with the student organisations."

Further, Jakhar told ANI, "We have spoken to them, understood their anguish and suffering, and received the memorandum detailing all their demands. This evening, we will meet the Chief Minister and endeavour to convey their grievances and demands to the government. A strong law against paper leaks needs to be enacted in this country, and specifically in Jharkhand..."

State LoP Babulal Marandi led an NDA delegation to meet the protesting aspirants and also met Mahato at the stadium.

"The Assembly session begins tomorrow. For several days now, students have been sitting on protest. Students have met me personally as well. We have all felt that these are not just discrepancies but the sale of jobs in Jharkhand. There is ample evidence of the same. Even in the all-party meeting today, I clearly said that the Government should cancel the exams in the wake of these discrepancies. This entire matter should be investigated by the CBI. Speaker has said that this will be deliberated on in a meeting and then a decision will be made. The students have a genuine demand. Our party is completely with the demands of the students of Jharkhand," Marandi told reporters.

"The demand of students is genuine. There were irregularities in JSSC and JPSC; aspirants have demanded the exam be cancelled, and the entire matter be investigated by the CBI. They are not ready for anything less than that. I think this is an acceptable demand. We stand with them," He added.

BJP Jharkhand President and Rajya Sabha MP Aditya Sahu launched a sharp attack on the JMM-Congress government over alleged question paper leaks and the ongoing protest by competitive exam aspirants in Ranchi, demanding a CBI probe into the matter.

Sahu alleged that paper leaks have become routine since 2019 and accused the state government of harassing students who are on a hunger strike.

"Since 2019, every single competitive examination has seen question papers leaked before the exam even began. Thousands of students have gathered in Ranchi to stage a massive hunger strike. Yet, the JMM-Congress government is actively harassing these students. Just consider the plight of the students sitting on this hunger strike: they are denied permission to hold the protest or even erect a shelter; the electricity is cut off at night, and they are subjected to various forms of harassment... They are demanding a CBI inquiry into the scams surrounding these exams and the way the youth's future has been jeopardised... This is the same Congress party that was making a huge uproar in Delhi, inciting students, and staging hunger strikes at the Prime Minister's doorstep. Yet today, Congress remains silent on this issue... The Congress party's double standards will not work," Sahu told reporters.

BJP state general secretary Amar Kumar Bauri said a party delegation led by Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi met the aspirants ahead of the Assembly session beginning Wednesday.

"Assembly session begins tomorrow, and the NDA delegation had reached here under the leadership of Babulal Marandi. We met the aspirants and listened to their issues. They have been sitting here in difficulty for the past 12 days in the rain. They are demanding justice, demanding a CBI probe. We have assured the students that we are going to strongly raise this issue in the House...As soon as they (State Govt) came to know that the NDA delegation is coming here to meet the aspirants, they sent a delegation here asking students to come for a discussion at 4 pm. LoP was about to come here at 4 pm, and under that pressure the Government made this offer," Bauri told ANI.

BJP MP Sanjay Seth alleged a new "Land for JPSC Exam" scam and drew parallels with the 'Land for Jobs' case.

"For the past 13 days, thousands of students have been staging a sit-in protest in Ranchi at Jaipal Singh Stadium, located just one kilometre from the Chief Minister's residence. It is raining heavily in Ranchi, yet they have not been granted permission to set up tarpaulins. Their electricity supply has even been cut off. There are no toilet facilities either, even though our daughters are among the protesters. The 'Land for Jobs' scam occurred when Lalu Yadav was the Railway Minister; an even bigger scam the 'Land for JPSC Exam' scam has taken place here. Students were made to hand over land documents with the understanding that the land would be taken once they secured a job. Such a massive scam... the people of Jharkhand and thousands of students want a CBI investigation. We want to ask, what objection does the government have?" Seth told ANI.

Meanwhile, the Jharkhand government said it had already initiated action on the matter and was preparing further measures, even as leaders from the ruling alliance voiced support for the protesting students.

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren maintained that investigative agencies are acting diligently

"Many individuals have already been arrested and sent to jail, and investigative agencies are conducting raids at multiple locations. Overall, the agencies are working diligently and effectively on this matter, and I believe we will move forward towards a concrete resolution...I have not spoken with the Home Minister yet, but if the need arises, I will discuss the matter with him...The government's doors are open to everyone. Anyone who has demands can come forward and present their concerns. We are already aware of the issues to some extent, and if they present their views, the government will certainly consider them seriously," CM Soren told reporters.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) General Secretary Vinod Pandey said the party supports the students' demand for cancellation of the JPSC examination.

"The ongoing CID investigation has brought several revelations to light; the nature of the irregularities committed is clearly in the public domain, thanks to your coverage. The Chief Minister has stated that he is awaiting the report, which is expected within 12 days, and that the government will take a firm decision and initiate concrete action. The students are indeed protesting in a highly democratic manner, and the JMM stands with them; we sympathise with them and, as a party, have supported their demands, specifically the demand that the JPSC examination be cancelled. We believe that the evidence and grounds available to the government will assist the Chief Minister in making a decision," Pandey told ANI.

"JMM stands with aspirants in their protest.we know their demands. Government is will form a high-level committee in one or two days. Examplary actions are going to be taken in 2-3 days based on evidence," Pandey added.

JMM MP Mahua Maji said a CID investigation was immediately initiated and the raids are being conducted.

"While students were being ignored at the central level, here in Jharkhand, as soon as the issue came to light, we ensured the resignation of the chairman responsible for it. A CID investigation was immediately initiated. Raids are being conducted regularly. Several individuals have been arrested and interrogated, and steps are being taken to ensure that those found guilty receive the strictest possible punishment. The government is fully committed to ensuring that students never have to face such a situation in the future...The Chief Minister is personally saddened and concerned by it. He believes in delivering results through action rather than making empty promises. He aims to introduce measures that will ensure students do not face such hardships in the future," Maji told ANI.

Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari said the state government stands with the students and accused the BJP of politicising the issue. Ansari asserted that no question paper leak had occurred in Jharkhand and said the government had already acted on the irregularities found. He urged the protesters to come for talks.

"Our CM as well as Rahul Gandhi stand with the students. I would like to ask the BJP a few questions. BJP is flashing small issues of Jharkhand at the national level in a way which shows as if some crime is taking place here. NEET is a separate exam; lakhs of students were affected there. BJP didn't listen. When students turned aggressive, it still didn't listen. BJP fired at students. 21 students had died by suicide. BJP is comparing that to the JPSC matter here. No paper leak occurred here. Errors were found, and the CM is taking action. CM took action before the protest started. The chairman was removed, and people were jailed. CM clearly said that he won't spare the guilty...He is so sensitive towards students. He is serious about them. To the youth, I would like to say - give us your demands, and we will take it to them. CM, let's have a discussion and end this here...It has been 26 years since Jharkhand was formed, but JPSC exams were held only 14 times. In 6 years, the CM conducted consecutive exams. If there are errors, our Govt will take strict action," Ansari told ANI.

The protesters demand the cancellation of the Preliminary Test (PT) for the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Combined Civil Services Examination and a review of examinations conducted through TDPL agencies. (ANI)