Ranchi, Aug 11: Normal life was disrupted across parts of Jharkhand on Tuesday as BJP workers enforced a statewide bandh to protest police action against job aspirants during their march to the state Assembly a day earlier over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
Most schools and business establishments remained closed in several areas, while vehicular movement was significantly reduced in Ranchi and other parts of the state. Police said BJP workers blocked roads in Kishorganj, Argora and Kanke areas of the state capital and burnt tyres at Harmu Chowk and Kishorganj Chowk.
BJP state president Aditya Sahu said the bandh was observed from 8 am to midnight, with essential services kept outside its purview.
The shutdown followed Monday’s tense confrontation between police and thousands of job aspirants who marched towards the Assembly, breached barricades and clashed with security personnel. Police used water cannons near Jagannathpur Temple and fired tear gas shells besides resorting to batons to prevent protesters from proceeding towards the Assembly.
While several protesters claimed they were injured, Ranchi police said 14 policemen sustained injuries during the clashes.
The BJP described the police action as “atrocities” against students and job aspirants and accused the JMM-led government of adopting a “dictatorial” approach towards the protesters.
“Students have been treated like criminals during the protest march,” Sahu said, demanding an end to what he termed “barbaric action”.
The BJP also backed the protesters’ demand for an independent probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
The students have been agitating since July 25, demanding transparency in recruitment examinations, reforms in the functioning of JPSC and JSSC, cancellation of several examinations and an independent probe either by the CBI or a panel of retired High Court judges from outside Jharkhand.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also planned a ‘Vidhan Sabha March’ from the old Assembly to the new Assembly premises during the day.
Meanwhile, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi condemned the use of force against the protesters.
“Students have a right to peaceful protest, and only dialogue can yield solutions,” Gandhi said, urging the Jharkhand government to listen to the protesters and resolve their grievances.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren appealed for peace and dialogue, saying the government recognises the students’ “democratic right” to raise their concerns and would examine their demands with “seriousness and sensitivity”.
Soren also accused opposition parties of attempting to exploit the agitation for political gains and urged students not to fall into what he called a “political trap”.
He said the government was committed to making the recruitment examination system “more transparent, secure and accountable”.
The recruitment examination controversy has meanwhile entered a crucial investigative phase. The Enforcement Directorate has launched a money-laundering probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, particularly the JSSC-CGL test, based on a state CID FIR and other complaints.
In another development, Jharkhand CID arrested former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte in connection with the alleged irregularities, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 20.
The arrest came amid mounting pressure on the commission, with serving JPSC members Ajeeta Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda and Jamal Ahmad having resigned.
The health condition of JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a nine-day hunger strike, also deteriorated during Monday’s agitation. He was admitted to Ranchi Sadar Hospital after a sharp fall in his blood sugar level, with doctors describing his condition as critical.
Despite his condition, Mahto joined the march in an ambulance and later addressed protesters, saying he would continue to fight for the students’ demands.
The state government, however, maintains that it has already accepted several demands raised by the protesting students.
