Jharkhand CM: Decision on protesters' demands soon
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday, August 4, said his government would announce a decision "at an appropriate time" on the demands of protesting job aspirants, as their agitation over alleged recruitment irregularities entered its seventh day.
Job aspirants have been holding an indefinite sit-in at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi since July 29, demanding that alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and other recruitment exams be probed by an independent panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.
"With close scrutiny and complete seriousness, decisions addressing their demands and queries will be announced at the appropriate time. I am confident that the protesters will be reassured," Soren told reporters in Ranchi.
On the investigation, Soren said probe agencies were examining every aspect of the alleged irregularities and that the government's decisions would follow once the findings were complete.
The protesters have accused the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led government of trying to "whitewash" the matter by handing the probe to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
They have demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, along with an Enforcement Directorate (ED) inquiry, alleging large-scale financial transactions linked to the recruitment scam.
Separately, former chief minister Raghubar Das urged Soren to hold direct talks with the protesting youths and consider their demand for a CBI investigation. Addressing a press conference in Jamshedpur, Das said he had written to the chief minister appealing for engagement with the students and appropriate action.
Das said the letter was written not in his capacity as a former chief minister or for political reasons, but as someone familiar with student movements, having begun his political career during the 1974 JP movement.
"The students have not taken to the streets without reason. They are protesting against serious allegations of corruption and irregularities in recruitment examinations. The government should talk to them directly and ensure justice, including considering their demand for a CBI inquiry," Das said.
He alleged that the protesting students had not been provided basic facilities such as tents, drinking water or healthcare despite a peaceful agitation, and warned the movement could turn into a mass agitation if grievances remained unaddressed.
Drawing a comparison with the NEET paper leak case, Das said the Centre had acted swiftly by cancelling the examination, ordering a CBI probe and holding a re-examination within days, and questioned why Jharkhand had not adopted a similar approach.
According to case details, the CID has arrested 11 people so far in connection with the alleged JPSC irregularities. The commission postponed the Combined Civil Services Mains Examination, originally scheduled for July 25-27, citing "unavoidable circumstances" amid the mounting protests.
The CID has questioned former JPSC chairman L Khiangte four times since July 28 and conducted raids at 18 locations across Ranchi, Palamu, Hazaribagh, Bokaro and Dhanbad as part of its investigation.
(With inputs from PTI)
