Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], August 17 (ANI): Jharkhand Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi on Monday alleged that the state government was delaying talks with protesting students over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
He said that the government's intentions were not right and that students had been staging sit-ins and hunger strikes demanding a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities.
The latest round of talks was scheduled for today, with the government seeking to break the deadlock after earlier discussions failed to produce a final resolution.
Speaking to ANI, Marandi said, "The government's intentions are not right; it is just putting the children off. Students have been staging sit-ins and hunger strikes, demanding a CBI investigation into irregularities in JCC and JPSC exams."
"The government has repeatedly delayed talks and used lathi charges to disperse protesters. Only when students announce more aggressive actions, like marching to the assembly, does the government attempt to negotiate, suggesting a pattern of appeasing students only when they show significant unrest," he further said.
Earlier today, the CID conducted a raid at JSSC (Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission) in Ranchi in connection with its investigation into the irregularities matter.
Meanwhile, the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch said in a statement today that the student delegation had reached the State Guest House at the scheduled time for a fresh round of talks, but the concerned ministers from the government had not arrived yet.
It said the delegation was waiting and the dialogue had not started.
Earlier, before leaving for the talks with the Jharkhand government, student protester Kartik Soren said the government had accepted around 95 per cent of their demands related to reforms, but no agreement had been reached on the demands for cancellation of examinations and a CBI investigation.
"The Govt has accepted 95% of our demands regarding reforms. As far as our demand for exam cancellation and investigation (by CBI) is concerned, no agreement has been reached. So, we are going there regarding that. Let's see what happens. We have been positive from day 1. We have a lot of hopes with the State Govt that they would accept our demands. Our demands are genuine, and they will accept them," he said.
Another student protester, Shashank, said students were optimistic that the government would understand their demands and find a solution.
"...We are optimistic that the Govt will understand our demands and find a solution. We have to have a positive outcome," he said.
Student protester Rajesh Prasad said students had been protesting for the past 24 days and that four of their colleagues were on hunger strike. He expressed hope that the dialogue would lead to a final solution.
"Students have to follow the motto of 'Satyameva Jayate'. We have been protesting for the past 24 days. Four of our colleagues are on hunger strike. CM understands our collective pain, and I think he will understand it even better in this dialogue and find a solution...I am sure that the final solution will come out through this round of dialogue," Prasad said.
Umesh Prasad said the government had initiated the talks by sending a proposal to the students and expressed hope that their demands would be accepted. He said the protest would continue if the demands were not met.
"This was initiated by the Government. A proposal for talks was sent to us yesterday. So, we are going there now. We hope that the Govt will accept our demands. The Govt seems sincere, as it was they who sent us a proposal yesterday...Our protest will continue if the demands are not accepted," he said.
Student leader Ravindra Paswan said the protesters could not compromise on any of their demands, including a CBI investigation and cancellation of examinations.
The agitation has now continued for more than three weeks. Protesters have been demanding greater transparency and accountability in the recruitment process and have sought, among other things, cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities. (ANI)
"Govt's intentions are not right": Babulal Marandi accuses Jharkhand govt of delaying talks with protesting students
