The capital city of Jharkhand, Ranchi, witnessed intense scenes of confrontation as a student led protest, which had been ongoing for 17 days, took a violent turn on Monday. The agitation, centered around alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC examinations, saw students and the state government in a direct standoff. The heat of the protest was felt right up to the Jharkhand Assembly, where hundreds of students gathered on the very route used by the Chief Minister to reach the house. Throughout the day, Ranchi remained a battlefield of sorts, with protesters facing water cannons, lathi charges, and tear gas shells as they pushed forward with their demands.
The Escalation of the Assembly March
Monday was designated for the students assembly march, and as planned, thousands of protesters took to the streets. To prevent them from reaching the high security zone, the police had erected multiple layers of defense, including barbed wire fences and heavy barricades. However, the determination of the agitators proved to be a significant challenge for the security forces. The students managed to breach several layers of security, eventually reaching the 7th and final barricade. Despite the use of drone cameras for constant surveillance, the sheer number of protesters made it difficult for the authorities to contain the crowd. Many students were seen climbing over the barbed wire barricades, while others sat down in protest wherever they found space, refusing to budge.
Police Action and the Chaos on Streets
As the students reached within the vicinity of the assembly, the police initiated strict measures to disperse the crowd. A radius of 750 meters around the Jharkhand Assembly had been placed under Section 163, which prohibits the assembly of people to prevent riots and disturbances. More than 1500 security personnel were deployed to maintain order. When the students attempted to push past the final barriers, the police resorted to using water cannons. This was followed by a lathi charge to push the crowd back, and tear gas shells were fired to clear the area, while in retaliation, some angry protesters were seen throwing bottles and footwear at the police. A particularly striking moment occurred when Devendranath Mahto, who had been on a hunger strike for 9 days, arrived at the march in an ambulance. He was later seen on a stretcher, participating in the protest despite his deteriorating health, before eventually being shifted to a hospital.
Arrest of Former JPSC Chairman L Khiangte
While the streets were in turmoil, a significant legal development took place. The CID arrested the former chairman of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), L Khiangte, from his residence. The CID, which is investigating the examination scam, had previously questioned him 4 times. The allegations against Khiangte involve accepting bribes in exchange for awarding examination contracts to a blacklisted agency, TDPL, during his tenure as the JPSC chairman. This arrest has added a new dimension to the students' claims of deep rooted corruption within the recruitment bodies.
Core Demands of the Protesting Students
The students have remained steadfast in their demands, refusing to back down until concrete action is taken. Their primary demands include a comprehensive CBI investigation into the JPSC and JSSC examination scams to ensure an impartial probe. They're also calling for extensive reforms in the recruitment processes of both commissions to prevent future irregularities. Transparency in the conduct of exams and the declaration of results is another major point of contention. Also, the students are demanding strict action against all individuals responsible for the alleged discrepancies and a streamlined system to ensure that recruitment exams are held on time and appointments aren't delayed after the results are announced. Following the assembly march, the student leaders declared that they would no longer engage in talks with the government and that their demands must be met in full.
Political Turmoil and the Call for Jharkhand Bandh
The protest has triggered a massive political storm in the state. The opposition BJP has thrown its full weight behind the students, intensifying its attack on the Hemant Soren government. During the protest, the Leader of the Opposition, Babulal Marandi, along with State President Aditya Sahu and several BJP MLAs, staged a sit in protest outside Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence, demanding his resignation over the exam issue. The police later took the BJP leaders into custody. In a show of solidarity with the students, the BJP has called for a Jharkhand Bandh on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who happened to be celebrating his birthday on Monday, issued a statement acknowledging the students' right to protest peacefully in a democracy. He assured them that the government is sensitive to their concerns and that senior ministers have been in constant dialogue with them to find a resolution. Even Congress leader Rahul Gandhi weighed in on the situation, posting on social media that the use of force against protesting students was wrong and urging the government to find a solution. He had also spoken to the agitating students over the phone last week.