Ranchi: Students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment exams announced burning the effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Rahul Gandhi in all districts on Sunday, accusing the JMM-Congress alliance of "failing to take concrete action" on their demands.
As the protest entered its 23rd day, the agitators 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.
A day earlier, they had demanded the Congress withdraw support from the ruling coalition since the chief minister "was not listening to him".
On Sunday, Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi said, "Chief Minister Hemant Soren should accept the demands of the agitating students."
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 a finance department section officer and whistleblower, Santosh Kumar Mastana, and withdrawal of cases filed against him.
Marandi said, "The students have been demanding a CBI probe into the irregularities, and I think the government should order it. Why does the government fear this? If the government remains adamant, they are compelling the youth and students to take to the streets."
About the students' call to picket the chief minister's residence, the BJP leader said the party "extends its moral support to their agitation as they have been protesting peacefully for over three weeks".
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 in the recruitment examinations conducted by Jharkhand Public Service Commission and 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 the students' voice to ensure transparency, impartiality, and a time-bound process in the recruitment examinations, he said.
JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said, "We will gherao the chief minister's residence on August 20. We seek his resignation as both the JMM and the Congress are playing politics with us. We also demand that Rahul Gandhi withdraw support from the JMM-led coalition if the CM is not listening to him."
The protesters said they would not withdraw the demonstration until the government addresses their demands, including 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.
They also targeted Gandhi, saying he had expressed support for students but that "no concrete action" had followed.
The students' platform demanded that Congress withdraw support from the JMM-led government if it is unwilling to act on their concerns.
"We demanded Hemant Soren's resignation as the government failed to cancel JSSC-CGL and the JPSC examinations in which irregularities were found," Paswan said.
The protesters maintained that their movement was not limited to certain examinations but was concerning the credibility of the entire recruitment system.
The state government, however, has sought to reassure job aspirants by announcing measures aimed at making 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.
