Recruitment row: BJP to hold statewide agitation in Jharkhand over cases against students

RANCHI: The Jharkhand BJP has decided to take its campaign in support of protesting students across all 24 districts after the state government failed to respond to its 48-hour ultimatum seeking withdrawal of cases against students and a CBI probe into recruitment examinations.

The BJP had given a 48-hour ultimatum to the JMM-led Hemant Soren government to withdraw cases against students protesting alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Board (JSSC) examinations.

The party on Friday announced a four-day statewide agitation from September 8 to 11. During the campaign, BJP workers will stage protests and gherao the offices of deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) at all district headquarters.

Talking to the media at the BJP headquarters in Ranchi, state BJP president Aditya Sahu alleged that the Congress-JMM government was “selling jobs” and feared that the alleged recruitment scam would be exposed.

He accused the government of using various tactics to suppress the ongoing student agitation. “The gherao will be conducted in six districts each day. The BJP will stand firmly with the students at every step of this fight for justice,” said Sahu.

Sahu also compared the student agitation in Jharkhand with recent student protests in Delhi, alleging that authorities were applying different standards in the two cases.

He claimed that Jharkhand’s protesting students had not used abusive language, yet cases had been registered against around 1,000 students.

The BJP leader also questioned the state government over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.

The party has demanded a CBI probe into all recruitment examinations conducted over the past seven years, arguing that an independent investigation is necessary to determine whether any irregularities took place, he said.

Sahu said that neither during the era of undivided Bihar nor since the formation of Jharkhand had students faced such treatment by the state government.

He alleged that the future of students was being repeatedly jeopardised, with cases being registered against those protesting peacefully and democratically.

The BJP state president further alleged that students staging peaceful protests in various districts were beaten with sticks and batons by JMM workers, yet cases were filed against the students themselves.

“People wants to know why cases have not been registered against JMM workers who allegedly indulged in hooliganism and assaulted students,” Sahu said.

Sahu said the government cannot evade questions through threats or cases and alleged that students were being treated like criminals. He urged the government to act against coal, sand and stone mafias instead.

Warning against suppressing students through legal action, he said they were Jharkhand’s future and cautioned that the situation could become unmanageable if their families and communities joined the protests.