Jharkhand exam protest: Fresh talks between govt, agitators on Monday as stir enters day 24
Job aspirants protesting against alleged irregularities in the recruitment examinations in Jharkhand are scheduled to hold fresh talks with the state government on Monday as the stir entered its 24th day with six agitators still on hunger strike. The Hemant Soren government has invited the protesters for a fresh round of talks at 2 pm.
A day earlier, the demonstrators burnt the effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, accusing the JMM-Congress alliance of "failing to take concrete action" on their demands.The proposed meeting will be the seventh round of talks between the government and the agitating students. The previous rounds of talks failed to yield any breakthrough.
The decision to meet the protestors came following a meeting between the protesters and the sub-divisional officer and the additional district magistrate (Law and Order) at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium.
"We will definitely go for the talks as we want to resolve the issue through dialogue. We are firm on two of our demands -- a CBI probe into irregularities in recruitment exams and cancellation of the JSSC-CGL exams," JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan told reporters.
Led by the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, the protesters are demanding a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in recruitment exams and the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination.
The agitators took out a torchlight procession from the protest site of Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to Albert Ekka Chowk on Sunday, where they burnt the effigies. Several districts witnessed similar protests.
The students expressed disappointment over the ruling JMM-Congress alliance "failing to take tangible action" on their demands, and alleged that the government was playing politics over issues concerning the future of job aspirants.
The agitators had on Saturday announced that they would gherao the chief minister's residence on August 20, and appealed to students from across Jharkhand to assemble in Ranchi for the demonstration.
"We seek the CM's resignation, as both the JMM and the Congress have been playing politics with us," Paswan alleged.
The protesters have also demanded that the Congress withdraw its support from the JMM-led government if the chief minister fails to act on their concerns.
Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand assembly, Babulal Marandi, on Sunday urged Soren to accept the students' demands and backed their call for a CBI investigation.
"The students have been demanding a CBI probe into the irregularities, and I think the government should order it. Why does the government fear this?" Marandi said.
He said continued government "inaction" could force more youth and students to take to the streets.
On the proposed gherao of the CM's residence, Marandi said the BJP would extend moral support to the students, who have been protesting "peacefully" for more than three weeks.
The Congress has said its state unit would discuss the issue at a meeting on August 18.
"Any attempt to harm the future of Jharkhand's youth will not be tolerated," state Congress media in-charge Rakesh Sinha said, adding that the party would raise the students' concerns and push for transparency, impartiality and a time-bound recruitment process.
The protesters have also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying that although he had expressed support for students, no concrete action followed.
The Jharkhand government has sought to reassure the job aspirants by announcing measures aimed at making the recruitment process more transparent and secure.
The measures outlined by the government include a time-bound annual examination calendar, technology-secured examinations, timely publication of answer keys and OMR sheets, and multi-level accountability in the recruitment process.
The government has also launched a campaign to seek suggestions from students, teachers, educationists and parents on reforms in the examination system.
