Now Reading: Jharkhand job protests enter 20th day, FIR against 600 after clashes
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Jharkhand job protests enter 20th day, FIR against 600 after clashes
Job aspirants in Jharkhand clashed with police for the second week as their protest over alleged recruitment irregularities completed 20 days. Police registered an FIR against 600 people, including 100 named accused,…
The Story in Brief
Job aspirants in Jharkhand clashed with police for the second week as their protest over alleged recruitment irregularities completed 20 days. Police registered an FIR against 600 people, including 100 named accused, after the August 10 Assembly gherao turned violent with stone-pelting and baton charges. Security around Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence was fortified with barricades and armed personnel to block a student march. JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, on hunger strike for nine days, was hospitalised but sought permission to return to the protest site. Six rounds of talks have failed to break the impasse.
The agitation stems from years of delayed, cancelled and withdrawn recruitment drives across teaching, police and engineering posts. Protesters demand cancellation of disputed exams and a CBI probe. The CID has arrested former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte on exam-rigging charges, which aspirants cite as proof of their demands. Chief Minister Soren has promised to cancel the 14th JPSC exam and accused the BJP of politicising the issue.
The Indian Opinion
Both sides have something to answer for. The BJP grabs at the protest as a political stick while ignoring that its own time in power left Jharkhand's recruitment system in ruins. Chief Minister Soren talks reform but his government's first instinct was barricades and batons, not answers. The real test is not who gheraos whose house. It is whether the CBI probe the students demand actually happens. If the government caves to one violent march, it sets a bad precedent. If it stonewalls, the next 20 days will be worse.
Sources (4): nationalheraldindia.com, timesnownews.com, businesstoday.in, businesstoday.in (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 4 sources.
