The ongoing JPSC-JSSC student protest in Jharkhand witnessed an unusual moment on Monday when a man dressed as Spider-Man joined protesting aspirants during their Vidhan Sabha march. Amid slogans, barricades and heightened security in Ranchi, the costumed protester used the popular superhero to make a pointed remark about the students' demands allegedly not reaching the state government.
A video shared by news agency ANI shows the man dressed in a Spider-Man costume standing among the protesters and explaining why the fictional superhero had apparently travelled all the way to Jharkhand.
Why did 'Spider-Man' join the JPSC-JSSC protest?
Explaining the reason behind the unusual costume, the man claimed that while the students' voices were not reaching the Jharkhand government, they had managed to reach "Spider-Man sitting in America". "The reason for Spider-Man is that we have come to Jharkhand because your voice is not reaching the ears of the Jharkhand government, but it is reaching the ears of Spider-Man sitting in America. Your government does not want to listen to us, does not want to say it," he said.
The appearance added an unexpected element to the protest, while the message behind the costume remained centred on the students' allegations that their concerns over recruitment examinations were not being adequately addressed.
Students breach barricades during Assembly march
The Spider-Man video surfaced as the JPSC-JSSC agitation intensified in Ranchi on Monday. Protesting aspirants breached barricades and continued their march towards the Jharkhand Assembly. Ahead of the Vidhan Sabha march, student leaders had appealed to participants to remain united and ensure that the demonstration remained peaceful.
Ranchi Police had also made security arrangements for the march. SP Paras Rana assured the protesting students that no action would be taken against them as long as the demonstration remained peaceful.
Why are JPSC-JSSC aspirants protesting?
The students are protesting over alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations and have been demanding a CBI investigation into the matter. Their Assembly march comes after a marathon meeting between the Jharkhand government and a student delegation on Sunday.
Following the meeting, Jharkhand Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu said the government believed it had accepted 98 per cent of the points raised by the students. The government agreed to several demands, including the cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination and backlog recruitment examinations of 2023 and 2025. It also announced a multi-pronged action plan involving CID and ED probes into alleged recruitment irregularities.
Students reject government's proposal
The protesters, however, rejected the government's proposal, maintaining that their primary demand for a CBI inquiry had not been accepted. Student representatives also disputed the government's claim that 98 per cent of their demands had been fulfilled. A student leader claimed that only three of the 13 examinations they wanted cancelled had been included in the government's proposal. The protesters have also expressed reservations over a CID investigation and continue to demand an independent probe into the alleged irregularities.
Against this backdrop, the man dressed as Spider-Man has provided the protest with an unusual visual moment. His message, however, echoed the larger argument being made by the protesting aspirants: they want the government to hear their demands and take further action over the alleged recruitment irregularities.
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