Jharkhand students protest day 16: CM Soren vows to deliver justice, warns of strict action against guilty— what we know

Jharkhand students protest: Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the government was committed to protecting democracy and ensuring justice for young people protesting for their rights, as the aspirants’ stir against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium entered its 16th day.

Addressing the Adivasi Mahotsav, he said irregularities would be investigated and those found responsible would face strict action.

“Youths agitating for their rights as govt committed to upholding democracy; we caught theft, will deliver justice. Committed to justice for protesting youth; those guilty of irregularities to face strictly action,” Soren stated, according to PTI.

Soren urged protesting students to engage in dialogue, saying their grievances could be resolved through discussions. He also appealed to youths to avoid seeking political backing for their agitation and cautioned political parties and those with political ambitions against misleading them through misinformation.

"The stir should not be politicised; I warn those harbouring political ambitions against misguiding youths," he said, adding, “I urge youths not to seek political patronage (for their stir); justice is your right.”

The chief minister maintained that the students’ movement should not be given a political colour and assured protesters that the government would work transparently to address their concerns.

The Jharkhand government resumed talks with protesting aspirants on Sunday in an effort to resolve the ongoing standoff over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.

The latest round of discussions followed several meetings between government representatives and student groups on Friday night and Saturday, which failed to yield a breakthrough.

Devendra Nath Mahto and other protesters' health

The health of student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for nearly a week at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Stadium, deteriorated around 3 am. Doctors found his blood glucose level had dropped to 53.

Another protester, Rahul Krantim, who is also on hunger strike, is being treated under medical supervision in the intensive care unit of Sadar Hospital.

Six protesters are currently observing an indefinite hunger strike as part of the agitation.

‘CM has been silent, should have met students on 1st day of protest’: BJP

Dumri MLA and Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha chief Jairam Mahto also joined the protest, observing a day-long fast at the old Vidhan Sabha premises in solidarity with the students.

Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Jharkhand BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Aditya Sahu, along with the party’s chief whip Naveen Jaiswal, met protesting students at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium on Sunday morning.

“The chief minister should have met the students on the very first day of the protest. But he has been silent. The government has adopted the Britishers' 'divide and rule' policy by inviting different organisations for talks, seeking their charter of demands,” PTI quoted Seth as saying.

"There is no need for dialogue anymore. The students' demands are simple: cancelling the examination and probing the irregularities by the CBI," he added.

What did JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch say?

The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch alleged that the state government’s decision to initiate another round of talks with student groups amounted to "political manoeuvring". The outfit claimed the move was intended to create divisions within the protesting students and shift public attention away from their key demands.

Ravindra Paswan, a leader of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, claimed that the government was seeking to dilute the agitation by engaging in talks with organisations that had “played no role in the ongoing protest”.

"This is political manoeuvring by the government. It is trying to create a divide among students and divert attention. But they should know that all students are united," Ravindra Paswan, a leader of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch said.

On Saturday, a ministerial panel comprising Dipika Pandey Singh, Sudivya Kumar, Chamra Linda and Sanjay Prasad Yadav met separately with various student organisations, including Congress-backed NSUI, Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha (JCM) and the Adivasi Chhatra Sangh (ACS), and asked them to submit their respective lists of demands.

The state government described the meetings as constructive, saying it was examining the issues raised by the protesting students.

What are the demands?

JCM put forward five demands, one of which was the scrapping of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination. The NSUI submitted a six-point charter, seeking, among other measures, a CID investigation within 90 days into all JPSC and JSSC examinations facing allegations of irregularities. It also called for setting up a Jharkhand Testing Agency modelled on the National Testing Agency.

ACS leader Kartik Oraon sought the inclusion of tribal and regional languages as qualifying subjects in recruitment examinations and demanded the cancellation of exams where irregularities had been established.

Protesters' assembly march on Monday if demand not met, ABVP plans on Tuesday

However, the protesters said their agitation would continue until all their demands were addressed. They have also planned to march towards the Assembly on August 10 if the government does not accept their demands by Sunday.

Meanwhile, the All India Students’ Association (AISA) established a separate platform at the stadium on Saturday. Its leaders clarified that the move was not intended to constitute a separate protest.

The ongoing agitation has also drawn participation from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). On Friday, ABVP members clashed with police as they tried to cross barricades near the chief minister’s residence. The organisation has separately announced a march to the Vidhan Sabha on August 11.

Email address created for suggestions, 19 held over ‘irregularities’

Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar said the state government had created an email address to invite suggestions from aspirants on possible reforms to the recruitment process.

So far, 19 people have been arrested over alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations. Former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte has also been questioned four times since July 28.