Daijiworld Media Network - Ranchi
Ranchi, Aug 11: Amid the ongoing student agitation over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, the BJP has called for a statewide bandh in Jharkhand on Tuesday, August 11, in support of the protesters’ demands.
The BJP accused the Hemant Soren government of ignoring the students’ grievances and using force to suppress their movement. The bandh call was announced by BJP leaders, including Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi, at a press conference on Monday evening.
The announcement comes amid an escalating confrontation between the state government and student groups, with recruitment examinations, alleged paper leaks and demands for a CBI probe emerging as major political flashpoints in Jharkhand.
BJP leaders said the party would take to the streets in support of the protesting students and press for a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in various competitive examinations conducted in the state.
The BJP alleged that controversies surrounding competitive examinations have persisted in Jharkhand for years, with students repeatedly raising concerns over paper leaks and other alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.
Marandi said students had been protesting for several days at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium complex, demanding cancellation of examinations they consider controversial and a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities.
“Students have been protesting for the past 15 days at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, demanding a CBI inquiry into the alleged sale of jobs linked to JPSC and JSSC examinations; however, the government has merely been stalling. The students were given the runaround under the guise of holding talks,” Marandi said.
He termed the action taken against the protesting students on Monday as “barbaric”.
The BJP claimed that the students had lost faith in the state’s investigating agencies and argued that an independent CBI probe was necessary to ensure credibility and accountability.
The party also criticised the police action during the agitation, alleging that protesters were subjected to tear gas, water cannons and lathi-charge. It claimed that several students were injured during the crackdown and alleged that police personnel dismantled tents put up by protesters at the agitation site.
The BJP accused the government of attempting to suppress the students’ movement instead of addressing their grievances through dialogue.
The party maintained that the proposed CBI probe should cover all recruitment examinations where allegations of irregularities have surfaced.