Students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment exams burnt the effigies of chief minister Hemant Soren, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Ranchi on Sunday, comparing them to “the dead”, even as the state government invited them for fresh talks on Monday.
The students accused the JMM-Congress alliance of "failing to take concrete action" on their demands. According to an official quoted by news agency PTI, the Jharkhand government has invited students for fresh rounds of talks on August 17.
Students have accepted the invitation and said fresh talks with the government will be held in the presence of their legal advisor.
As the stir entered its 23rd day, the agitators took out a torchlight procession from the protest site of Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to the Albert Ekka Chowk, where they burnt the effigies.
They accused the ruling alliance of playing politics over their issues and announced they would gherao the chief minister's residence on August 20, demanding his resignation.
{{/usCountry}}They accused the ruling alliance of playing politics over their issues and announced they would gherao the chief minister's residence on August 20, demanding his resignation.
{{/usCountry}}A day earlier, the protesters had demanded that Congress withdraw support from the ruling coalition since the chief minister "was not listening to him".
What protesters said
A protester, calling himself the younger brother of Hemant Soren and Rahul Gandhi, shaved his head and said that he was “mourning” his elder brothers.
"I am the younger brother of Rahul Gandhi and Hemant Soren. It is my duty to dedicate my body, mind, and resources to their final rites. Once their cremation is over and the ashes remain, I will be the one who has to stand up and immerse them in the Swarnarekha Ghat to fulfil a younger brother's duty,” the protester told news agency ANI.
“You cannot expect anything from the dead. These people are like the dead. They only develop their own families; they are trapped in dynastic politics. They garner votes from Jharkhand but develop only their own families, so one cannot expect much from the dead... I shaved my head. I am observing mourning for my elder brothers Rahul and Hemant Ji,” he added.
Another protester accused Rahul Gandhi of using the students’ plight to further his “political interests”.
"When the NEET issue arose in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi took the stage and spoke very vocally about it. This implies that if you aren't speaking up here, then you were merely using our future and the students' plight to further your own political interests—essentially warming your seat of power at our expense... You were very active on Twitter back then, but now there isn't a single tweet from you,” he said.
To be sure, the Rae Bareli MP did post on X a condemnation of the police lathi charge during the students’ assembly march. He had urged the Jharkhand government to listen to the students’ demand.
“People have been suffering for so long, and the government needs to realise that students are becoming increasingly agitated; this is our right, and we will move heaven and earth—we will leave no stone unturned—to secure what is rightfully ours... Our only request to the government is to listen to our demands," the protester added.
The demands
Key demands of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, a prominent students' body spearheading the protest, include cancelling the 14th JPSC, a CBI probe into all examinations, making the probe report public and action against the guilty.
The students are also demanding the revocation of the suspension of Santosh Kumar Mastana, a finance department section officer and whistleblower, and the withdrawal of cases filed against him.
The protesters said they would not withdraw the demonstration until the government addresses their demands, including the cancellation of examinations in which alleged irregularities were found, and ordering an independent probe into the recruitment process.
The protesters appealed to students across Jharkhand to assemble in Ranchi for the proposed gherao of the CM's residence on August 20.
The protesters maintained that their movement was not limited to certain examinations but was concerning the credibility of the entire recruitment system.
Hemant Soren’s assurance
The state government, however, has sought to reassure job aspirants by announcing measures to make the recruitment process more transparent and secure.
In his Independence Day address, the chief minister had said questions surrounding recruitment examinations had shaken the trust of an entire generation of job aspirants.
He assured students that investigations into alleged irregularities would be conducted impartially and that anyone found guilty would face strict legal action irrespective of influence or position.
Among the measures outlined by the government are a time-bound annual examination calendar, technology-secured examinations, timely publication of answer keys and OMR sheets, and multi-level accountability in the recruitment process.
The state government has also launched the 'Students' Voice with Students' campaign to seek suggestions from students, teachers, educationists and parents on reforms in the examination system.
Soren said creating employment opportunities was among the government's top priorities.
Congress response
The state Congress media in-charge, Rakesh Sinha, in a statement, said, "The Pradesh Congress will hold a meeting on August 18. The issue of reforms to the recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission will be discussed. Any attempt to harm the future of Jharkhand's youth will not be tolerated."
The Congress will strongly raise students' voices to ensure transparency, impartiality, and a time-bound process in recruitment examinations, he said.