Lathi-charge, tear gas and a sea of protesters: Jharkhand anger reaches Assembly

What is the Jharkhand students protest

Thousands of students have been protesting alleged irregularities in JPSC and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations for the last fortnight. The Jharkhand government has said it will cancel the preliminary examination of the 14th JPSC Combined Civil Services; this was after six hours of discussions with two separate delegations of protesters.

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But the students have, so far, refused to withdraw their protests.

The protesters say they want a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation and for the JSSC exam to be cancelled.

Among those who joined the march was Devendra Nath Mahato of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha. Mahato – who is on a fast and has lost 10.5 kg in nine days – followed the protesters in an ambulance with a portrait of ex-Chief Minister Shibu Soren.

Fasting Jharkhand students protest leader Devendra Nath Mahato raises the national flag

Also among those who joined the protests are ex-Chief Minister Babulal Marandi and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Aditya Sahu, who were detained after a sit-in outside current chief minister Hemant Soren’s residence.

The march came a day after three members of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) resigned. As protesters marched to the third barricade near Jagannathpur Temple, en route to the new Assembly Complex in Ranchi, clashes were witnessed in the area.

One protester told PTI. “We were protesting peacefully, but the government used batons against us.”

Police used water cannons against the protesting students. (Express photo by Shubham Tigga)

The police also fired tear gas shells and water cannons at the protesters.

What Chief Minister Hemant Soren said

All of this came days after Hemant Soren reiterated his promise to deliver justice to the agitating youths. “Unable to accept the state’s self-reliance, vested interests are working at full force in Jharkhand to disrupt democracy here. Samvad and not ‘lathi-danda-bandook’ (dialogue, not batons) can solve all problems,” he said Sunday while addressing the Jharkhand Adivasi Mahotsav.

“Weapons are meant for enemies at the border. I promise the exam protesters that justice will be delivered with full transparency. Justice will not only be done, but will also be seen to be done,” he said.

‘Dictatorial attitude of government’

The protests have roiled the Assembly, with the Opposition seeking to corner the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. “Students have been protesting for the past 14-15 days. Some have been on hunger strike, while others have fallen ill and are undergoing treatment in hospitals. The government is only making assurances and is not taking any concrete action,” Marandi told the Assembly.

Student-protesters outside the Jharkhand Assembly

He also alleged that while Opposition MLAs decided to meet Hemant Soren at his residence but were not allowed inside. “We then planned to go to the Assembly and raise the issue with the CM, but we were not allowed to meet anyone there either. Instead, we were detained and brought here to Khel Gaon. This clearly shows the dictatorial attitude of this government,” he said.

Chandan Rajak, one of the organisers of the JPSC-JSSC Abhyarthi Nyay Manch, said the organisers were not at the front of the march and therefore did not know exactly what had happened. “Our entire team is not in front including Devendra Mahato. We are at the back, so we have no idea what exactly happened,” he said.

However, Rajak said he saw tear gas being fired at the protesters. “I was also vomiting when the tear gas was fired. My eyes are burning. This should not happen. We have no idea what exactly led to the incident,” he said.

He added that if no government delegation came to meet the protesters by the evening, they would not move from the spot. “If no delegation from the government side comes and meets us by evening, we will not move. But hopefully, by evening, everything will be all right and the matter will be resolved,” he said.

(With PTI inputs)