Jharkhand Student Protest highlights: BJP calls Aug 11 Jharkhand bandh over police lathi-charge on protesting students

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Jharkhand Protest LIVE: The BJP has called for a Jharkhand bandh on Tuesday, August 11, to protest the police lathi-charge and alleged "atrocities" against students protesting over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.

(PTI)

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: JPSC-JSSC aspirants remained defiant on Monday evening after police resorted to a lathi-charge for the third time to disperse students protesting outside the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi.

The protesters vowed to continue their agitation over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and reiterated their demand for a CBI probe.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: Student leader Devendra Mahto was hospitalised on Monday after his health deteriorated following a nine-day hunger strike over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment examinations.

Mahto, who has been on hunger strike as part of the protest, joined the students' march towards the Jharkhand Assembly despite his deteriorating health. He was later taken to hospital for medical attention.

(PTI)

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: Four policemen were injured after protesters allegedly pelted stones during a march towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi on Monday, Ranchi City SP Paras Rana said.

(PTI)

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: Student leader Devendra Mahto, speaking during the 'Vidhan Sabha March' in Ranchi on Monday, alleged that police manhandled protesters and forcibly took him away in an ambulance.

"We have been on a Satyagraha for the past 17 days and on hunger strike for 9 days. The police pushed a hungry person like me too and forcibly put me in an ambulance," Mahto said.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: The BJP on Monday condemned the Jharkhand Police's use of water cannons, tear gas and lathi-charge against job aspirants protesting in Ranchi over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.

The BJP accused the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led state government of using force against protesting students and questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's silence over the police action.

The incident took place as thousands of job aspirants taking part in a "Vidhan Sabha Gherao" protest attempted to breach multiple barricades while marching towards the Jharkhand Assembly. Police responded by using tear gas, water cannons and lathis to stop the protesters.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: A man dressed as the popular film character 'Pushpa' joined the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march by PSC-JSSC aspirants in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on Monday, calling for justice for the protesting students.

Speaking to ANI, he said he had joined the protest in "Pushpa style" and urged the government to address the students' demands.

"I have come to protest in 'Pushpa style'. People told me that big actors and influencers reached Jantar Mantar to support that protest. These people are also students, we should not discriminate," he said.

He said the issue should receive national media attention and urged the government to accept the students' demands.

"This matter should reach the national media and these students should get justice. Parents give in to their children's demands. Govt too should give in to these students' demands," he added.

He concluded by saying, "Jharkhand ke students jhukenge nahi, rukenge nahi, jab tak nyay milega nahi."

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: Amid a clash between youth protesters and police during the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march in Ranchi on Monday over alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations, student leader Ravindra Paswan appealed for a peaceful and constitutional protest.

Paswan said students remained firm on their demands but alleged that a few "anti-social elements" were attempting to divert the movement.

"We are peaceful. Students are adamant about their issues. A few anti-social elements are attempting to take the protest in a different direction. But we, the students, are supporting our issue," Paswan told ANI.

He urged the administration to identify those involved in any untoward incidents, saying CCTV footage and videos would be examined.

"We appeal to the administration to identify such anti-social elements. Our volunteers are also trying to identify them. CCTV footage and video cameras will be examined, and action will be taken," he said.

Paswan also appealed to students to alert protest volunteers if they noticed anyone attempting to disrupt the demonstration.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: A JPSC-JSSC aspirant, Sanjay Mahto, on Monday claimed he was injured in a police lathi-charge during the ongoing protest in Ranchi.

“My head and legs are hurting, and my head is bleeding,” Mahto said, describing his injuries after the police action against protesting job aspirants.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: Amid ongoing protests by JPSC and JSSC aspirants in Ranchi, Jharkhand Minister Deepika Pandey Singh on Monday said the government respects the right to protest but decisions regarding the cancellation of examinations must remain within the constitutional framework.

Addressing the protests, Singh said the administration had been directed to maintain law and order without resorting to force.

"In a democracy, there is permission for protests; people are free to hold them. The administration is taking the necessary actions to maintain law and order. There will be no use of pellet guns, tear gas, or lathi-charge here," she told reporters.

Responding to allegations that the state government had failed to communicate with the protesting students, Singh said dialogue with the aspirants had remained ongoing over the past several days.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the conduct of multiple recruitment examinations in Jharkhand, including the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination, officials said on Monday.

The central agency has taken cognisance of a Jharkhand Police CID FIR, along with other complaints and chargesheets, to initiate the probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

The ED is expected to take further action as part of the investigation, including gathering evidence and summoning people linked to the cases, officials said.

The agency may also examine the assets of the accused and consider attachment proceedings, they added.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: Police used tear gas on Monday as thousands of job aspirants protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly and breached barricades put up to stop them.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: The Jharkhand CID on Monday arrested former Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) chairperson L Khiangte in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, a senior official of the state probe agency said.

Khiangte, who was appointed JPSC chairperson in February last year, resigned from the post on July 22.

He had taken charge of the commission after retiring as Jharkhand's chief secretary.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato on Monday criticised the absence of BJP legislators during the Monsoon Session, saying it was not proper parliamentary practice to raise questions in the House and then remain absent when they were taken up.

The Speaker's remarks came during the Question Hour on the third day of the session, which began at 11 am.

Mahato called out BJP MLAs Nagendra Mahto, Chandreswar Prasad Singh and Raj Sinha to ask their listed questions. However, none of the three legislators responded when their names were announced.

Taking note of their absence, the Speaker said, “Raising questions in the House and then not attending the proceedings is not considered good practice in the parliamentary system.”

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: A man dressed up as film character 'Pushpa' and joining 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march said, "Jharkhand ke students jhukenge nahi, rukenge nahi, jab tak nyay milega nahi."

"I have come to protest in 'Pushpa style'. People told me that big actors and influencers reached Jantar Mantar to support that protest. These people are also students, we should not discriminate...This matter should reach the national media and these students should get justice. Parents give in to their children's demands. Govt too should give in to these students' demands. Jharkhand ke students jhukenge nahi, rukenge nahi, jab tak nyay milega nahi..." he told ANI.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: Gaurav Goswami, SP Rural, Ranchi said that mild lathi charge was used when some of the students attempted to reach the last barricading where Section 163 is in effect.

"Minimum use of lathi was done. We are speaking with the students continuously. They are peaceful right now, we are engaging with them continuously. They students have agreed with us to stop here itself for sometime," he said.

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: Amid student protest in Ranchi, Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) MLA Jairam Kumar Mahato says, "A message to Police of Jharkhand - try to cooperate with the students of Jharkhand because this is a peaceful protest."

On lathi charge on students, he says, "This is not good. This is a completely peaceful protest, so how can you use lathi?"

On injuries due to Police lathi charge, he says, "Yes, I have heard. So, I came to this place. I will try to find out what is going on." (ANI)

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: On lathi charge by police during 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march, a student protester says, "Barbaric lathi charge was launched on students protesting near police barricading. Baton should be used only below the waist but they hit us on head, arms, face and everywhere else. This shows the double standards of the Govt."

Jharkhand Protest LIVE: Jharkhand Police resorted to lathi charge to control the crowd during students' 'Vidhan Sabha gherao' march on Monday in Ranchi.