Chaos erupted in Ranchi on Monday afternoon when thousands of job aspirants, protesting exam irregularities in the state, clashed with the police during a march to the Jharkhand assembly, prompting the latter to fire tear gas and resort to baton charge and water canon to disperse the crowd.
Several protesters claimed they were injured in the police action that took place when they reached the final barricade near Jagannathpur Temple on the road to the new Assembly Complex. The police, however, said a section of the protesters turned violent and pelted stones at the forces.
The march, which coincided with the 51st birthday of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, began from outside the old assembly building around 10.30 am as the protest over the recruitment exam irregularities entered the 17th day.
“The baton charge was barbaric. We were protesting peacefully, but the government used batons against us. They can only inflict physical injuries, not harm our thoughts,” Piyush Kumar Soni, a protester, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“Many female students sustained injuries. Police hit us on our head, arms, face everywhere,” he added.
Ranchi City Superintendent of Police (SP) Paras Rana said the cops “showed minimal aggression for a really short time”. “Ninety percent of the students were protesting peacefully but 10 percent were paying no heed to anyone. If 700-1000 students in the crowd are not listening to anyone, not even to their representatives and pushing through the barricades and crushing police personnel… the police still showed restraint. They have also pelted stones at the police force. Still, we showed minimal aggression for a really short time because they are all only students,” he said.
“I appeal to everyone to be peaceful and not be violent. Your demands are reaching the government, do not show aggression… We appeal to the students to protest peacefully and not pelt stones at the police,” he added.
The protesters are demanding comprehensive reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). They are also seeking cancellation of several recruitment tests, including the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination, and an independent probe into the alleged irregularities, either by the Central Bureau of Investigation or by a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.
The state government has held several rounds of talks with the demonstrators, but failed to break the deadlock. The protesters said the government had agreed to cancel only three of the 13 exams they wanted scrapped.
“Whatever the Hemant Soren government is doing to us is not good. We were protesting peacefully, then why is your police baton charging us,” Vikram Kumar, who came from Hazaribag district, was quoted as saying by PTI.
JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a fast for nine days over the issue, joined the march in an ambulance. He was seen carrying a portrait of former chief minister Shibu Soren.