Ranchi's Jantar Mantar moment: Student protest enters Day 6, CJP backs stir
As the protest entered its sixth day, the CJP founder and other members extended their support to the protesters, who are holding Chief Minister Hemant Soren responsible for the alleged irregularities.
Student-led protests over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand state examinations entered the sixth day on Monday with the Cockroach Janata Party, which was at the forefront of a similar nationwide agitation, lending support. The students are protesting over alleged wrongdoings in Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations and have also sought a CBI probe into the alleged matter.
Addressing the issue on X, Dipke wrote, “Spoke to the students who are protesting in Jharkhand over irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams. The CJP stands with all the students in Jharkhand and supports their demands.”
Dipke also posted a video on X, where he and CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka were seen interacting with one of the protesters on a video call. On that call, the protester was heard appreciating the CJP and asked for its support for the ongoing movement in Jharkhand. Dipke and Ranka both assured support and said that the CJP stands with the students of Jharkhand.
The protest, which originally began as a small gathering in Ranchi's Vapu Batika ground in Ranchi over the alleged irregularities and paper leak in the competitive examinations, soon spiralled into a large-scale student movement, drawing support not only from students across the state, but also from several political parties and civil society groups.
THE STRIKING SIMILARITIES WITH DELHI'S JANTAR MANTAR
As hundreds of students gathered at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium on July 29, raising slogans, waving the national flag and demanding accountability from the Hemant Soren government, the protest began drawing parallels with the recent agitation witnessed at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
Like Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a 26-day hunger strike over the demands for reformation in the Indian education system in the wake of the NEET paper leak, student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has emerged as the face of the movement, has also begun an indefinite hunger strike. His demand is simple: Cancel the 14th JPSC examination because of the irregularities.
WE'RE STAYING AWAKE TO WAKE UP THE GOVERNMENT, SAYS PROTESTER
Beyond the students’ anger and the ongoing hunger strike, catchy slogans echoed across the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, reminiscent of the chants heard during the protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
India Today correspondent Satyajeet Kumar witnessed it first-hand. As he approached one of the protestors and asked how they had been continuing despite hazardous weather, including heavy rainfall and lightning, the protester said, "The monsoon clouds may hover over Jharkhand’s skies during the rainy season, but the dark clouds of corruption have cast a shadow over the future of the state’s students. Our movement will continue until these clouds are cleared."
Several protesters told India Today that they would not sleep until the government’s conscience is awakened.
"Now we are staying awake to wake up the government," they told India Today.
Apart from protesting against the examination irregularities, the students also expressed their dissatisfaction over the rising unemployment in the state. The protesters gave a clear message to Chief Minister Hemant Soren that they're not satisfied with poultry farming and other alternative professions and are seeking permanent government jobs.
Although Jharkhand has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, much lower than the national average, it also grapples with an 8.1% unemployment rate in the urban areas.
Student-led protests over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand state examinations entered the sixth day on Monday with the Cockroach Janata Party, which was at the forefront of a similar nationwide agitation, lending support. The students are protesting over alleged wrongdoings in Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations and have also sought a CBI probe into the alleged matter.
Addressing the issue on X, Dipke wrote, “Spoke to the students who are protesting in Jharkhand over irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams. The CJP stands with all the students in Jharkhand and supports their demands.”
Dipke also posted a video on X, where he and CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka were seen interacting with one of the protesters on a video call. On that call, the protester was heard appreciating the CJP and asked for its support for the ongoing movement in Jharkhand. Dipke and Ranka both assured support and said that the CJP stands with the students of Jharkhand.
The protest, which originally began as a small gathering in Ranchi's Vapu Batika ground in Ranchi over the alleged irregularities and paper leak in the competitive examinations, soon spiralled into a large-scale student movement, drawing support not only from students across the state, but also from several political parties and civil society groups.
THE STRIKING SIMILARITIES WITH DELHI'S JANTAR MANTAR
As hundreds of students gathered at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium on July 29, raising slogans, waving the national flag and demanding accountability from the Hemant Soren government, the protest began drawing parallels with the recent agitation witnessed at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
Like Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a 26-day hunger strike over the demands for reformation in the Indian education system in the wake of the NEET paper leak, student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has emerged as the face of the movement, has also begun an indefinite hunger strike. His demand is simple: Cancel the 14th JPSC examination because of the irregularities.
WE'RE STAYING AWAKE TO WAKE UP THE GOVERNMENT, SAYS PROTESTER
Beyond the students’ anger and the ongoing hunger strike, catchy slogans echoed across the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, reminiscent of the chants heard during the protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
India Today correspondent Satyajeet Kumar witnessed it first-hand. As he approached one of the protestors and asked how they had been continuing despite hazardous weather, including heavy rainfall and lightning, the protester said, "The monsoon clouds may hover over Jharkhand’s skies during the rainy season, but the dark clouds of corruption have cast a shadow over the future of the state’s students. Our movement will continue until these clouds are cleared."
Several protesters told India Today that they would not sleep until the government’s conscience is awakened.
"Now we are staying awake to wake up the government," they told India Today.
Apart from protesting against the examination irregularities, the students also expressed their dissatisfaction over the rising unemployment in the state. The protesters gave a clear message to Chief Minister Hemant Soren that they're not satisfied with poultry farming and other alternative professions and are seeking permanent government jobs.
Although Jharkhand has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, much lower than the national average, it also grapples with an 8.1% unemployment rate in the urban areas.
Student-led protests over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand state examinations entered the sixth day on Monday with the Cockroach Janata Party, which was at the forefront of a similar nationwide agitation, lending support. The students are protesting over alleged wrongdoings in Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations and have also sought a CBI probe into the alleged matter.
Addressing the issue on X, Dipke wrote, “Spoke to the students who are protesting in Jharkhand over irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams. The CJP stands with all the students in Jharkhand and supports their demands.”
Dipke also posted a video on X, where he and CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka were seen interacting with one of the protesters on a video call. On that call, the protester was heard appreciating the CJP and asked for its support for the ongoing movement in Jharkhand. Dipke and Ranka both assured support and said that the CJP stands with the students of Jharkhand.
The protest, which originally began as a small gathering in Ranchi's Vapu Batika ground in Ranchi over the alleged irregularities and paper leak in the competitive examinations, soon spiralled into a large-scale student movement, drawing support not only from students across the state, but also from several political parties and civil society groups.
THE STRIKING SIMILARITIES WITH DELHI'S JANTAR MANTAR
As hundreds of students gathered at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium on July 29, raising slogans, waving the national flag and demanding accountability from the Hemant Soren government, the protest began drawing parallels with the recent agitation witnessed at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
Like Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a 26-day hunger strike over the demands for reformation in the Indian education system in the wake of the NEET paper leak, student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has emerged as the face of the movement, has also begun an indefinite hunger strike. His demand is simple: Cancel the 14th JPSC examination because of the irregularities.
WE'RE STAYING AWAKE TO WAKE UP THE GOVERNMENT, SAYS PROTESTER
Beyond the students’ anger and the ongoing hunger strike, catchy slogans echoed across the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, reminiscent of the chants heard during the protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
India Today correspondent Satyajeet Kumar witnessed it first-hand. As he approached one of the protestors and asked how they had been continuing despite hazardous weather, including heavy rainfall and lightning, the protester said, "The monsoon clouds may hover over Jharkhand’s skies during the rainy season, but the dark clouds of corruption have cast a shadow over the future of the state’s students. Our movement will continue until these clouds are cleared."
Several protesters told India Today that they would not sleep until the government’s conscience is awakened.
"Now we are staying awake to wake up the government," they told India Today.
Apart from protesting against the examination irregularities, the students also expressed their dissatisfaction over the rising unemployment in the state. The protesters gave a clear message to Chief Minister Hemant Soren that they're not satisfied with poultry farming and other alternative professions and are seeking permanent government jobs.
Although Jharkhand has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, much lower than the national average, it also grapples with an 8.1% unemployment rate in the urban areas.
