Mass Protests Erupt in Jharkhand Over Exam Irregularities

Thousands of student protesters, joined by JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahato, marched to the Vidhan Sabha demanding the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL exam and a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities. Amidst heavy security, the protest calls for democratic responses instead of police action.

On Monday, the leader of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM), Devendra Nath Mahato, joined forces with the JPSC-JSCC Reform Morcha, leading a monumental 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march. Their protest against alleged exam irregularities reverberated across the state as Mahato declared that the government must heed student demands.

Holding a portrait of former Chief Minister Shibu Soren, Mahato asserted, "Barbed wires won't deter us, despite my hunger strike. I arrived by ambulance, and the government has no choice but to listen." The protest mirrored a unity between students and leaders demanding immediate attention to their grievances.

While cautioning against being idolized, Mahato stated, "I'm a common man, not a messiah. The barricades wound more than the hunger strike does. Students have crossed three barricade levels. Why cling to anarchy? Address our demands!" Amid heightened tensions, Mahato urged CM Hemant Soren to avoid drastic police action on his birthday.

Over nine days into a hunger strike at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, Mahato warned of the government's perilous stance if student demands remain unmet, threatening a democratic crisis. Protesters assembling at Ranchi's Vidhan Sabha formed a human chain, pressing for the JSSC-CGL exam's annulment and a CBI probe to uncover discrepancies in recruitment processes.

A protester emphatically stated, "Our march ceases only when barriers lift. We sit here until then." Criticizing the state, another protester lamented how Jharkhand's mineral wealth contrasts with student hardship, demanding accountability peacefully.

Security impeded vehicles heading for the march, illustrating the protest's intensity. Meanwhile, Minister Irfan Ansari reassured support for the youth, while cautioning against the BJP's intervention. "We stand by youth," exclaimed Ansari, promising dialogue and peaceful resolution to the crisis engulfing Jharkhand.