Jharkhand Assembly March: Police Use Water Cannons, Tear Gas as Students Push Against Barricades
In Ranchi on Monday, police used water cannons, tear gas and a lathi charge as thousands of students marching against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations attempted to reach the Jharkhand Assembly. At least three people were injured in the confrontation, including two protesters and a member of the Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP), according to officials.
The protest, called 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao', was organised by the JPSC-JSSC Reform Morcha and took place while the Assembly's Monsoon Session was underway. Videos posted online showed protesters pushing through multiple layers of barricades as police deployed water cannons. Some demonstrators were seen dancing and raising slogans even as water jets were directed at them. Police resorted to a lathi charge after the crowd broke through successive barricades, reports said.
Devendra Nath Mahto, a leader of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM), joined the march from Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, where he has been on a hunger strike for nine days. He was carried by supporters towards the Assembly. Holding a portrait of former chief minister Shibu Soren, Mahto said: "Despite being on hunger strike, the barbed wires will not be able to stop us. I came here in an ambulance. The government will have to listen to us."
Mahto, who said protesters had already crossed three layers of barricading, appealed to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, whose birthday fell on Monday, to avoid escalation. "Today it's CM Hemant Soren's birthday, and he should not take such a step where some unfortunate events like at the Jantar Mantar take place here. Do not do anything that causes someone to bleed or get injured and makes the crowd even more agitated," he said. He added: "Arrest is a legal process, but there should be no bloodshed. If the government does not agree to the demands, it will be remembered as the one which killed democracy. I will not end the fast."
A student protester, Vikram Kumar, who was injured in the lathi charge, alleged the police action was unprovoked. "We were protesting peacefully. We did not even hurl any abuses. Suddenly, the police launched a lathi charge. This is not good," he said.
The protesters are demanding cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities, and reforms to the recruitment process. The march came on the same day that the Enforcement Directorate registered an Enforcement Case Information Report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with alleged irregularities in examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission.
