Clashes broke out between the protesting students and police in Jharkhand’s Capital Ranchi and several other places in the state on Friday evening as the agitators attempted to burn effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, officials said.
The student leaders alleged that the police and workers of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) tried to prevent them from holding a peaceful march.
“They gathered in large number at the prominent Albert Chowk to burn effigies of CM Soren and Rahul Gandhi. When the police tried to control them, a scuffle broke out… “The students changed the route defined for the march and effigy burning… They went to the JPSC office and brought traffic to a halt there.
Meanwhile, JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto said it would launch a ‘Recruitment System Reforms Yatra’ from August 24, alleging that the Jharkhand government was not strongly defending cases related to the cancellation of several recruitment examinations in the high court. He warned that if the government failed to effectively present its case before the Jharkhand High Court on September 15, when matters are scheduled for hearing, they would plan to gherao the chief minister’s residence.
Student leaders under the banner of the ‘JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch’ have accused the Jharkhand government of “deceiving” and “betraying” job aspirants, after the high court stayed some notifications cancelling appointments through the 11th and 13th JPSC exams besides the JSSC-CGL. JMM workers were also present at the spot,” police said. Ranchi DSP KV Raman said the scuffle broke out after protesting students changed the designated route and brought traffic to a halt. The agitators did not listen to our repeated pleas to adhere to the designated route,” Raman said. “They cannot stop us from holding peaceful and democratic protests,” JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said.
