The JPSC-JSSC aspirants demanded resignation of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and issued an ultimatum to the state government until August 18. The students organisations will burn the effigies of CM Hemant Soren and Rahul Gandhi across 24 districts of the state on Sunday, August 16 and have warned to gherao the CM’s residence on August 20.
Former Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das threatened to go on a hunger strike
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das earlier threatened to go on a hunger strike if the Hemant Soren-led government failed to recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations within a week.
The BJP leader's warning came as thousands of students continued their agitation over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in the state. The protests, being held under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, have entered their 19th day.
Why are students protesting?
The student and job aspirants' agitation began on July 25 and has focused on demands for transparency in recruitment examinations and reforms in the functioning of the JPSC and JSSC. Six demonstrators have also been observing an indefinite hunger strike in support of the demands.
The protesting students at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi are demanding cancellation of all JSSC CGL, JSSC JE, and PGT exams after 2019, a CBI investigation into the irregularities, strict action against the "mafias and agencies involved", disclosure of category-wise cut-offs (UR, EWS, BC-I, BC-II, SC, ST), OMR copies, and response sheets for transparency regarding the process and a recruitment calendar modelled after UPSC/SSC standards.
Earlier, on August 10, police used tear gas shells and water cannons and resorted to a lathicharge during the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march.
On August 9, Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar accepted the resignations of three members of the Jharkhand Public Service (JPSC) Commission, in light of the recommendation made by the State Government, the Lok Bhavan said in a statement.
The representatives of the Jharkhand government held a fresh round of talks in Ranchi with representatives of various student organisations protesting alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations.
The government also announced a multi-pronged action plan to address alleged recruitment irregularities. The measures include a CID probe into alleged irregularities in the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and 2023-25 backlog recruitments, an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into suspected financial irregularities, setting up of a fast-track court and formation of an expert committee for recruitment reforms.
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