Thousands of job aspirants in Jharkhand clashed with police during a protest against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, demanding a CBI probe and comprehensive reforms in the state's public service commissions.
Key Points
- Thousands of job aspirants in Jharkhand clashed with police, who used water cannons, tear gas, and lathi-charges, after protesters breached barricades near the state assembly.
- Protesters, many claiming injuries, allege the police action was 'barbaric' and that their demonstration was peaceful, despite government claims of fulfilling most demands.
- The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, spearheading the 17-day agitation, demands the cancellation of several recruitment tests and an independent probe by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges.
- Despite government assertions of accepting 98 per cent of demands, protesters state only three out of 13 requested exam cancellations have been agreed upon.
- Heavy security, including Rapid Action Force and Indian Reserve Battalion personnel, was deployed, and prohibitory orders were imposed along the protest route.
Police used water cannons, tear gas and lathi-charged job aspirants protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations after they breached multiple barricades during a march and reached near the Jharkhand Assembly on Monday, officials said.
The Assembly was adjourned for the day in the afternoon.
Several protesters claimed they were injured in the police action, which took place when the march reached the final barricade near Jagannathpur Temple on the road to the Assembly.
"The baton charge was barbaric. We were protesting peacefully, but the government used batons against us. They can only inflict physical injuries, not harm our thoughts," protester Piyush Kumar Soni told PTI.
"Many girl students sustained injuries. Police hit us on our head, arms, face everywhere," he claimed.
Vikram Kumar, who came from Hazaribag district, also claimed to have sustained a head injury.
"Whatever the Hemant Soren government is doing to us is not good. We were protesting peacefully; then why is your police baton charging at us?" he said.
Protesters Defy Barricades
The protesters breached the barricades and reached outside Gate No. 1 of the assembly, where they staged a sit-in.
"We will not go home and will sit here on dharna until our demands are met," Ranchi resident and protester Jyoti Mahto said.
Another protester said, "We were expecting gifts from the CM on the occasion of his birthday. But what we received were baton charges, tear gas and water cannons. Now we want to convey a clear message that until the government fulfils our demands, we will not go home."
The march began from outside the old assembly building around 10.30 am as the agitation over recruitment exam irregularities entered its 17th day.
It coincided with Chief Minister Hemant Soren's 51st birthday.
The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's state unit president Shashank Raj said: "Today is a black day for democracy as police used batons on peaceful protesters. Many of the agitators have suffered injuries."
He urged the chief minister not to be 'insensitive' towards students' demands.
Political Reactions and Demands
Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a fast for nine days over the issue, joined the march in an ambulance.
He was seen carrying a portrait of former chief minister Shibu Soren.
Objecting to the installation of barbed-wire barricades along the route of the assembly march, Mahto said anger was brewing among students over the injustices done to them.
"The government is hell-bent on suppressing our voice. We will not hold any talks now," he said.
Armed with Tricolours and placards that read 'Cancel JSSC-CGL Exams or Conduct a CBI Probe', 'Why is CID escaping from conducting a raid on JSSC?' and 'Conduct an impartial investigation, bring out the truth', thousands of young men and women breached one barricade after the other amid heavy security deployment.
As police used water cannons when the march reached Jagannathpur Temple, the demonstrators broke into dance, waving tricolours.
But the situation soon escalated when the protesters attempted to march forward, prompting the police to baton charge.
Failing to restrain the gathering, the police fired several rounds of tear gas shells when the protesters were about 200 meters away from the assembly.
"If we cannot reach the assembly, our voices must reach them. We do not fear the government, which is treating us like traitors. We have been compelled to take to the streets," a protester said.
ABVP Condemns Police Action
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) condemned the lathi-charge, use of water cannons and tear gas.
'Students marching peacefully towards the Legislative Assembly with legitimate demands concerning their future were met with police force instead of dialogue and resolution. The use of force against students raises serious questions about the credibility of competitive examinations and once again exposes the anti-student approach of the Jharkhand government,' it said, announcing a fresh march to Vidhan Sabha on August 11.
The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which is spearheading the agitation, said it has deployed around 500 volunteers to prevent anti-social elements from joining the march.
JLKM MLA Jairam Mahto, who joined the march a day after holding a fast over the issue, said, "The students are protesting peacefully; why is the police trying to restrain them? They are not carrying lathis in their hands."
Meanwhile, state minister Sudivya Kumar claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party had 'hijacked' the protest for its political ambition.
Talking to reporters outside the assembly, he said it was unfortunate that the job aspirants were agitating despite the government fulfilling 95 per cent of their demands.
Earlier, replying to a query on the protests in the assembly, Kumar alleged that the agitation had shifted from being a students' movement to one dominated by 'BJP's evil mentality and political designs'.
Ongoing Deadlock and Demands
More than 1,500 personnel from the Rapid Action Force, Indian Reserve Battalion, district police and quick response teams were deployed along the nearly four-km route, officials said.
Prohibitory orders were also imposed in the area.
The government has held several rounds of talks with the protesters but failed to break the deadlock.
The protesters claimed that the government had agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they wanted scrapped.
The agitators are demanding comprehensive reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
They are also seeking cancellation of several recruitment examinations, including the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination, and an independent probe into the alleged irregularities either by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.
