Jharkhand BJP to stage four-day gherao of DC, SP offices from Sept 8

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jharkhand has announced a four-day gherao (siege) of the offices of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) in all 24 districts of the State, beginning September 8. The decision comes after the expiry of a 48-hour ultimatum the party had issued to the State government, demanding the withdrawal of police cases against students who protested against alleged irregularities in several examinations conducted by State recruitment bodies.

The party's announcement was made by State BJP president Aditya Sahu during a press conference at the party office in Ranchi on September 4. The gherao will be held in a phased manner, covering six districts each day over four consecutive days. Sahu said the party stands firmly with the students and will continue to raise their voices through these demonstrations.

The background to the protests dates back to September 2, when a BJP delegation led by Sahu and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Babulal Marandi met Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar. The delegation submitted a memorandum demanding the immediate withdrawal of cases filed against students across the State during protests over alleged irregularities in examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). The party also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.

According to the schedule shared by Sahu, on September 8, the gherao will take place in Ranchi, Dumka, Hazaribagh, Giridih, Jamshedpur, and Garhwa. On September 9, protests are planned in Koderma, Sahibganj, Bokaro, Palamu, Simdega, and Chaibasa. September 10 will see demonstrations in Seraikela, Pakur, Dhanbad, Gumla, Latehar, and Chatra, and on September 11 in Ramgarh, Deoghar, Lohardaga, Khunti, Godda, and Jamtara.

Sahu alleged that cases have been registered against students who were protesting peacefully and democratically. He claimed that Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers had beaten students with sticks and batons during the protests, yet no cases were filed against those workers. The public wants to know why the JMM workers who engaged in hooliganism and assaulted students have not been booked, he said.

He also compared the student protests in Jharkhand to those in other parts of the country, including Delhi. Without referring to any specific incident, Sahu said that during protests in Delhi, abusive language was used against the Prime Minister and his late mother. He claimed that not a single student in Jharkhand used abusive language against anyone, yet around 1,000 students were booked in various cases.

The BJP leader further alleged that the Congress-JMM government in the State has been involved in the sale of jobs and that the government fears that its job-selling scam might be exposed. He claimed that the government is employing various tactics to suppress the student protests. Sahu also accused the police of arresting students instead of taking action against coal, sand, and stone mafias.

The State government has not yet issued an official response to the BJP's allegations or to the planned gherao. The ruling alliance has previously defended its actions, stating that law and order procedures were followed during the protests.