Jharkhand exam stir: Students accuse JMM-Cong of playing politics

Students, protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations, on Saturday accused the ruling JMM and the Congress of playing politics over their issues, and announced that they would gherao Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence in Ranchi on August 20, demanding his resignation. The protesters also said that they would burn effigies of the chief minister and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi across all 24 districts of the state on Sunday, alleging that the ruling JMM-Congress alliance "failed to take concrete action" on their demands. They also demanded that Gandhi withdraw support from the JMM-led coalition if the "CM is not listening" to him, JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said.
The announcements came as the protest entered its 22nd day, with thousands of students and job aspirants, including two wheelchair-borne protesters who were on fast, participating in the ‘Tiranga Yatra’ in Ranchi on the occasion of Independence Day and to press their demand for greater transparency and reforms in the recruitment examination system.They also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he had expressed support for students but that “no concrete action” had followed.
The protesters said they would not withdraw the demonstration until the government addresses their demands, including cancellation of examinations in which alleged irregularities were found, and an independent probe into the recruitment process. The platform of the protesting students has sought a CBI investigation or an inquiry by a panel of retired judges from outside Jharkhand into the alleged irregularities. The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch has also demanded cancellation of the JSSC-CGL and certain JPSC examinations that it considers suspicious.