The ongoing students' protest in Ranchi entered its 19th day today, with protesters demanding cancellation of examinations conducted by the TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL) firm and urging the Jharkhand government to hold a dialogue with them. Student leader Ravindra Paswan said that today was the 19th day of their protest and it will continue until the government accepts their demands.
Paswan said the protesters are ready for talks with the state government and appealed to Chief Minister Hemant Soren to engage with the students. "We are absolutely ready for a dialogue. I would like to appeal to the Hon'ble Chief Minister: we, the students, wish to hold a dialogue with you under your leadership regarding our key demands," he said.
He said that the students will present their demands before the Chief Minister and hope they will be considered seriously. Paswan also said that the protest would continue indefinitely if the demands are not addressed.
"Our protest demonstration will continue until the government accepts our demands; it will be an indefinite protest," he said.
Several senior administrative officials, including the Deputy Commissioner, Senior Superintendent of Police and City Superintendent of Police, visited the protesters and urged those on hunger strike to end their fast. However, the protesters refused to withdraw the hunger strike, insisting that the TDPL-conducted examination should first be cancelled.
"They were urging those on the hunger strike to call it off. However, our colleagues refused to break the fast; they maintain that they will not do so until our demands are met--specifically, until the exam conducted by the TDPL agency is cancelled," Paswan said.
Paswan also appealed to students across Jharkhand to join the agitation at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in large numbers. He said that the protesters have received moral support from several political parties. He specifically mentioned Jharkhand Chief Minister and BJP leader Babulal Marandi, who visited the protesters and extended their support.
Paswan said that the presence of administrative officials had led to speculation that protesters would be removed, but clarified that this had not happened. The agitation is part of the wider protests by students and job aspirants in the state over alleged irregularities in examinations and the recruitment process. Protesters have been demanding reforms in the recruitment system and action over examinations they claim were conducted with irregularities.
The protests have also seen demonstrations near the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi. Earlier, police used lathis and water cannons while trying to control protesters during a 'Vidhan Sabha gherao' march by JPSC-JSSC aspirants.
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