The agitation by job aspirants in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations entered its 21st day on Friday, with protesters planning a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ in Ranchi on Saturday, August 15, to mark the 80th Independence Day.
The protesters, under the banner of JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, said the march would strengthen their movement and warned the Ranchi administration against targeting students in connection with the violence during their August 10 march to the state Assembly.
The students are demanding greater transparency in recruitment examinations, cancellation of several tests and an independent probe by the CBI or a panel of retired judges from outside Jharkhand.
Police have registered an FIR against 300 unnamed people over the August 10 violence, during which protesters clashed with security personnel.
The case, registered at the Vidhan Sabha police station, relates to alleged violations of prohibitory orders, damage to government property and attacks on police personnel, Ranchi SP Paras Rana said.
DSP (Hatia) Neeraj Kumar said no arrests or detentions had been made so far, adding that police were examining video footage to identify those involved in the violence. Fourteen police personnel were injured in the confrontation, following which police used batons, water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters.
JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan appealed to the government not to target genuine students.
“If the administration has registered an FIR against unidentified persons, we do not have any objection. But we would like to appeal to the administration and the Jharkhand government not to file an FIR against any student,” he said.
Meanwhile, concern has grown over the health of Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on hunger strike for 13 days. Mahto was admitted to Sadar Hospital on Monday after his condition deteriorated following his participation in the Assembly march. On Wednesday, he sought permission from the Ranchi civil surgeon to return to the protest site.
Four other students on hunger strike are also undergoing treatment, according to the protesters.
Separately, the state CID has carried out raids at multiple locations to execute arrest warrants against seven accused in cases linked to alleged irregularities in competitive examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), officials said.
The agitation has drawn support from several social organisations, authors and others, with many providing free food to protesters since the movement began.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has maintained that his government is committed to recruitment examination reforms and has assured protesters that the 14th JPSC examination would be cancelled. He has accused the BJP of exploiting the agitation for political gains.
The BJP, in turn, has alleged that the Soren government is attempting to suppress the movement, while Congress, a ruling alliance partner, accused the BJP of politicising the students' agitation and bringing workers from outside the state to disrupt the protests.
Former chief minister Raghubar Das has threatened to go on hunger strike if the demand for a CBI probe is not met within a week.
The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has also announced protests at more than 1,200 universities over the issue and questioned the credibility of the state-appointed SIT, citing repeated changes in its composition.