Paper leaks national issue, Govt Committed to Justice: Jharkhand CM

Students intensified their protest over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in Jharkhand with five demonstrators joining an indefinite hunger strike, even as Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday said the question paper leak issues are a national problem and offered talks to resolve the impasse. The protest, which began on July 25 under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, emerged as one of the biggest student-led movements in the state in recent years. The number of people on such a protest has risen to six.Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha member Devendra Nath Mahto, at the same venue, entered the fourth day on Wednesday.
The spokesperson of the JPSC, JSSC Reforms Manch, Jivan Kumar, said, “Our five friends, including two women, went on hunger strike from Tuesday night to press for our demands.” A core committee meeting will be held shortly to decide on taking out a ‘Tiranga March’ in support of students’ demands, he said. Sabita Kumari, who is on hunger strike, said they were “forced” to resort to this type of protest since the government was not fulfilling their demands.
The demonstrators are demanding cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and an independent probe into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment test either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or by a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.
Jharkhand Police’s CID has so far arrested 14 people in connection with the alleged irregularities, while the JPSC postponed the Combined Civil Services Mains Examination, scheduled from July 25 to 27, citing “unavoidable circumstances” amid mounting protests. The CID has also questioned former JPSC chairman L Khiangte four times since July 28 and raided 18 locations across Ranchi, Palamu, Hazaribagh, Bokaro and Dhanbad as part of its probe into the alleged recruitment irregularities.