RANCHI: A fresh controversy erupted late Tuesday night after police and administrative officials arrived at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, where students have been protesting against alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations.
Notably, officials had reached the protest site between 12.30 am and 2 am, interacting with protesters and verifying the identities of some individuals, triggering a fresh political row.
According to the protesting students, officials including the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) reached the stadium around midnight and interacted with students present at the protest site, including those on hunger strike. Their late-night presence and questioning reportedly caused panic and unease among the protesters.
Leader of JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch Piyush Kumar Singh claimed that the students were not officially asked to leave the protest site.
He, however, noted that the officials refused to speak with members of the core committee, insisting that they would only talk to the students. “This created a sense of confusion among the protesters,” said the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch leader.
Meanwhile, the police attempted to verify the identities of some individuals present at the site, Singh said.
‘Fill the jail movement’
Anger was palpable among the protesting students, who warned that any attempt by the government to divide JPSC and JSSC protesters or derail their agitation would further intensify student resentment and make it difficult for the government to contain the backlash.
If put behind bars, then they students from across the state would stage ‘fill the jail’ movement, they said.
Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri, however, clarified that officials had not gone to the site to detain anyone, but to assess security arrangements and verify the identities of individuals suspected to be outsiders.
“The district administration is open for dialogue. We urged protesting students to move towards practicable and implementable solutions,” said the Deputy Commissioner.
BJP slams Soren govt
Meanwhile, BJP leaders accused the administration of attempting to weaken the agitation and remove the protesting students.
Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi alleged that the administration reached the protest site in the middle of the night and “tortured” students who were sleeping there.
Questioning the need for officials to visit the site, Marandi asked whether the government had dissolved the high-level committee, which had been holding talks with the protesters, and whether officials were now telling students to return home claiming that their demands had been fulfilled.
Marandi alleged that the government was not taking the students’ demands seriously.
Referring to Monday’s march in which protesters reached the gates of the Jharkhand Assembly, he warned that if students take to the streets across the state, it would become difficult for the government to control the situation.
FIR lodged against 600 people
Police have registered an FIR against 500 unidentified protesters and 100 other named individuals following the clash between students and police during the gherao of the Jharkhand Assembly on August 10.
The FIR has been registered under various sections of law, including those pertaining to obstructing public servants in the discharge of their duties and abusing or assaulting police personnel.
According to police, at least 14 police personnel were injured during the course of the agitation, while there are no reports any injury on the student’s side.
