BJP holds protests in 6 Jharkhand districts, seeks withdrawal of cases against job exam protesters
Ranchi, Sep 8 (PTI) The BJP on Tuesday staged demonstrations in six Jharkhand districts, with its workers picketing offices of deputy commissioners and superintendents of police, demanding the withdrawal of cases registered against job aspirants during the 26-day protest against irregularities in recruitment exams.
The party also demanded a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
At least six FIRs were lodged against more than 50 named and over 1,100 unnamed agitators following clashes between police and job aspirants in Ranchi, Giridih and Hazaribag on August 23 during protest marches.
State BJP president Aditya Sahu led the protest in Ranchi, while Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi headed a demonstration in Dumka.
In the state capital, BJP workers took out a procession from the Zila School ground, which culminated in a demonstration in front of the district collectorate. They raised slogans against the state government, demanding immediate withdrawal of cases registered against students during the stir against exam irregularities.
"Police have lodged FIRs against students who took out marches in different districts last month. Police have been terrorising them by conducting raids at their houses and coaching centres. We demand a stop to such acts and withdrawal of cases against them," Sahu told reporters here.
He alleged that large-scale corruption has taken place in the recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
"We demand a CBI probe into the irregularities in the recruitment examinations," he said.
Former chief ministers Raghubar Das and Madhu Koda led protests in Hazaribag and Jamshedpur, respectively, while Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth headed a demonstration in Garhwa.
Party officials said such protests would be held in Koderma, Sahibganj, Bokaro, Palamu, Simdega and Chaibasa on September 9; in Seraikela-Kharsawan, Pakur, Dhanbad, Gumla, Latehar and Chatra on September 10; and in Ramgarh, Deoghar, Lohardaga, Khunti, Godda and Jamtara on September 11.
A BJP delegation led by Sahu met Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar on September 2 with the same demands. It had submitted a memorandum, giving the state government a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw the cases, which ended on September 4.
On September 5, the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which had led the 26-day protest by job aspirants against alleged exam irregularities, urged Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday to withdraw cases registered against students across the state during the stir.
Referring to the Supreme Court ordering the quashing of FIRs against students across the country over protests against the NEET paper leak issue, the forum highlighted that FIRs have not been withdrawn against those who took part in the stir against alleged exam irregularities in Jharkhand.
Students and job aspirants under the banner of JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch staged protests against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations from July 25. The protest was withdrawn after the Jharkhand government on August 18 announced the cancellation of a host of recruitment tests, including the JSSC-CGL-2023 conducted on September 21 and 22, 2024.
However, the Jharkhand High Court put a stay on the government’s decision to cancel certain exams, including the JSSC-CGL-2023, based on a plea by successful candidates who fear job loss.
