D Raja condemns use of force against protesting students in Ranchi

New Delhi, Aug 11 (PTI) CPI general secretary D Raja on Tuesday condemned the use of force on protesting students and public service aspirants in Ranchi, asserting that their demands concerning examinations and recruitment are genuine.

Raja's remarks come a day after thousands of aspirants marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi, demanding cancellation of the JSSC-CGL 2024 examination and a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.

Police used lathis, tear gas and water cannons to stop the protesters after they breached barricades.

In a post on X, Raja said the use of water cannons, tear gas and lathis against protesting students is unacceptable and would only deepen their grievances. "Young people who have gathered peacefully to seek justice and accountability cannot be treated as a law and order problem."

Raja urged the Jharkhand government to immediately stop the use of force and create conditions for meaningful engagement with protesting students.

He said representatives of the students should be invited for dialogue, their grievances should be heard, and concrete steps should be taken to address their demands.

"In a democracy, disagreement cannot be answered with barricades and police action. Engagement and dialogue, not violence, must be the government's response to students demanding justice," he said.

Students and aspirants have been protesting in Ranchi since July 25 demanding transparency in recruitment examinations, reforms in the functioning of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), cancellation of examinations and an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities.