JSSC Protest : Mahto ends 16-day fast, announces phase 2 stir

JLKM leader Devendra Mahto, who ended his 16-day hunger strike after the Jharkhand government cancelled job exams over alleged irregularities, on Tuesday announced that he would soon launch the second phase of the demonstration for corruption-free recruitment by JPSC and JSSC.

He said the demonstration will continue until the "government guarantees no paper leak or irregularities in recruitment examinations in future".

"I have ended my hunger strike, not the protest. The agitation will continue till the government gives a guarantee that no paper leak or irregularities will take place in recruitment examinations. We will soon launch the second phase of our protest, demanding corruption-free recruitment in JPSC and JSSC examinations,” Mahto said, addressing media persons.

The second round of the stir will be launched under the banner of JPSC-JSSC Abhiyarthi Reform Manch, headed by Mahto.

Mahto, who had been on the fast for 16 days, called off the hunger strike around Monday midnight after the state government cancelled all recruitment tests, including the JSSC-CGL exam, conducted by an outsourced agency since 2014.

“We demand from the government that a monitoring committee be formed for reforms. We also sought a complete audit, not just a financial audit; there should be an audit at every step,” Mahto said.

He also urged the government to "enact a law if necessary to prevent practices like paper leaks and irregularities in the recruitment examinations".

Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday said an exam reforms committee headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal would recommend measures to strengthen the process of recruitment tests.

"The government has decided to cancel the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) exam, which was one of the major demands of the protesting students. We have also decided to cancel all tests conducted by outsourced agency TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd (TDPL) and the results published by it," Soren had told reporters