Ranchi: Talks between a government panel and protesting job aspirants in Jharkhand were yet to begin on Monday, August 17, as Chief Minister Hemant Soren held a meeting with his ministers at the state secretariat, with the agitation entering its 24th day.
“An invitation was extended to us for a meeting with the government panel at 2 pm. We are still waiting for the panel of ministers to arrive,” a JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader said.
Manch leader Piyush Kumar said they were informed that Soren was holding a meeting with ministers.
The aspirants are protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations and demanding a CBI probe and cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination.
Some candidates gather outside secretariat, appeal to Soren not to cancel exams
Meanwhile, a group of successful JSSC-CGL candidates who are already employed gathered outside the state secretariat and appealed to Soren not to cancel the examination.
The protest entered its 24th day, with six agitators continuing their hunger strike.
A student delegation, including JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leaders Ravindra Paswan, Piyush Kumar Singh and Ravindra Kumar Ravi, was scheduled to meet the government panel.
The proposed meeting would be the seventh round of talks, with previous discussions failing to yield a breakthrough.
Students burn effigies of Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav
On Sunday, the demonstrators burnt the effigies of Soren, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, accusing the JMM-Congress alliance of “failing to take concrete action” on their demands.
In the evening, the state government invited the protesters for a fresh round of talks on Monday afternoon.
Savita Kumari, one of the protesters on hunger strike, said, “We want complete reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), along with a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities and cancellation of the JSSC-CGL exam.”
‘Jobs of deserving candidates have been sold’
“I have appeared in various recruitment tests, including the 14th JPSC examination held on April 19. But it is very unfortunate that due to corruption, jobs of deserving candidates have been sold.”
Indicating that a breakthrough might be possible, Minister for Rural Development Dipika Pandey Singh said, “The 14th JPSC examination will be cancelled.”
“We will write to the ED to investigate the alleged financial misappropriation. The CID probe will be court-monitored. The government is committed to bring reforms to safeguard the future of students,” she said.
Protesters hope dialogue to break impasse
Rahul Kranti, another protester on hunger strike and undergoing treatment in Sadar Hospital, told PTI that he expects Monday’s dialogue will break the impasse.
“But the agitation will not end if the government does not agree to our demands for a probe by the CBI and cancellation of various state-level recruitment examinations conducted since 2019,” he said.
Another protester on hunger strike, Umme Habiba, echoed the same sentiment and said the proposal for fresh talks “shows their (government’s) sensitivity towards our concerns”.
A core member of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch that is spearheading the protest told PTI that a delegation comprising 11 members, including a legal advisor, will attend the meeting.
The decision 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.
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.
Protesters demand COngress to withdraw from JMM govt
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.
“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.
