Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday, August 4, responded to the ongoing students' protest over alleged JPSC irregularities, asserting that
his government was taking the matter seriously. The statement came as job aspirants, who have been staging an indefinite sit-in at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi since July 29, stepped up their agitation by demanding that the alleged irregularities in the JPSC and other recruitment examinations be investigated by an independent panel of retired high court judges from outside Jharkhand. "I have said before as well that the government has eyes, ears, and sensitivity. I can't exactly rip open my chest to show you how seriously we are taking this matter, and our aim has always been to pursue an issue relentlessly until it is resolved," Soren told reporters in Ramgarh.
#WATCH रामगढ़, झारखंड। झारखंड के मुख्यमंत्री हेमंत सोरेन ने कहा, "आज आदरणीय गुरुजी की पहली पुण्यतिथी है। आपको यह भी पता है कि उनके अंतिम यात्रा में भी जिस तरह से लोग उमड़े, उससे आप यह अंदाजा लगा सकते हैं कि उन्होंने अपने जीवनकाल में क्या पाया, क्या खोया और क्या कमाया। हमारी (आम… pic.twitter.com/n1yC6Myx3Q
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Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren said that the investigation team was working "day and night" and that an update would be shared with students soon. "The investigation team is working day and night, and we await their response... With close scrutiny and complete seriousness, decisions addressing their demands and queries will be announced at the appropriate time. I am confident that the protesters will be reassured."
The protesters have alleged that the JMM-led government was attempting to "whitewash" the issue by entrusting the investigation to the state CID. They had earlier demanded an investigation by the CBI along with that of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), claiming large-scale financial transactions were linked to the alleged recruitment scam.
Student leader Devendra Nath Mahato began an indefinite hunger strike at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. The protesters have three major demands:
- Cancellation of the 14th JPSC Combined Preliminary Test held on April 1
- An independent probe by central agencies, including the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED), into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the JPSC and JSSC-CGL.
- The introduction of a fifth option of "not attempted" in OMR sheets.
The protesters said that if the state government does not address their concerns, they will march to the Jharkhand Assembly and stage a gherao in the next couple of days.
