Jharkhand students plan Tiranga Yatra amid exam stir
Students in Jharkhand have entered the 21st day of their protest over alleged recruitment irregularities, planning a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ to mark India’s 80th Independence Day on August 15. The demonstrators, operating under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, have escalated their demands for transparency and the cancellation of several examinations. The agitation has evolved beyond the classroom, drawing in high-profile political figures and social organizations, and has already led to a violent clash with security forces last week.
Ranchi police are currently reviewing video footage to identify individuals involved in the violence during a march towards the State assembly on Monday (August 10). An FIR was lodged at the Vidhan Sabha police station against 300 unnamed people for alleged violations of prohibitory orders, damage to government property, and attacks on police personnel. Ranchi SP Paras Rana confirmed the case details, noting that Section 163 of the BNSS had been imposed within a 750-metre radius of the assembly building ahead of the monsoon session.
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The confrontation left 14 police personnel injured, leading officers to use batons, water cannons, and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Ranchi DSP (Hatia) Neeraj Kumar stated that no arrests or detentions have been made so far, though the investigation remains active. While the police focus on identifying miscreants, the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan appealed to the administration to refrain from filing charges against genuine students, arguing that the registration of an FIR against unidentified persons is acceptable but targeting individuals is not.
Health concerns and political tensions
The physical toll on the agitators is becoming a central point of the crisis. Devendra Nath Mahto, a leader of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM), has been on a hunger strike for 13 days. He was admitted to Sadar Hospital in Ranchi on Monday (August 10) after his condition deteriorated following the assembly march and is currently undergoing treatment. On Wednesday (August 12), he sought permission to return to the protest site, while four other students on hunger strike are also receiving medical care at the same hospital.
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Political reactions have intensified as the standoff continues. Chief Minister Hemant Soren has assured protesters that the 14th JPSC examination will be cancelled and reiterated his government’s commitment to recruitment reforms. He has accused the opposition BJP of politicising the movement. The BJP, in turn, alleges the government is suppressing the protest.
The police action has expanded beyond the streets, with the State CID conducting raids at multiple locations to execute arrest warrants against seven accused in cases linked to alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations. So far, 20 people, including former JPSC chairperson L. Khiangte, have been arrested.
