Four-day protests over cases against students

Ranchi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday announced a four-day statewide agitation from September 8 to 11, saying it would stage demonstrations and lay siege to the offices of Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police in all 24 districts of Jharkhand.

The announcement came after the expiry of a 48-hour deadline that the BJP had earlier given the state government over cases registered against students and other demands, including a CBI inquiry into recruitment examinations conducted over the past seven years.

Jharkhand BJP president Aditya Sahu announced the programme at a press conference at the party’s state office.

Sahu said the party’s workers would hold protests in six districts each day and raise the issues concerning students who have been participating in recent protests.

“The time given to the state government through the Chief Secretary has now expired,” Sahu said, according to a BJP statement.

He said the BJP would continue to support what it described as the students’ fight for justice and would raise its voice against cases registered against them.

Protests planned in six districts each day

According to the BJP, protests and gheraos of the DC and SP offices will be held in Ranchi, Dumka, Hazaribagh, Giridih, Jamshedpur and Garhwa on September 8.

On September 9, the programme is scheduled in Koderma, Sahibganj, Bokaro, Palamu, Simdega and Chaibasa.

Protests are planned in Seraikela, Pakur, Dhanbad, Gumla, Latehar and Chatra on September 10.

The final phase on September 11 will cover Ramgarh, Deoghar, Lohardaga, Khunti, Godda and Jamtara.

BJP alleges action against protesting students

The BJP has demanded that cases registered against students be withdrawn and has called for a CBI investigation into recruitment examinations held in Jharkhand during the past seven years.

Sahu alleged that students participating in peaceful protests were facing criminal cases and police action.

He also alleged that students were attacked by workers of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha during protests in different parts of the state.

The allegations could not be independently verified at the time of publication.

Sahu questioned why action had allegedly not been taken against those accused by the BJP of attacking students.

The BJP president also alleged that police personnel had visited the homes of students at night and that coaching institute operators were being intimidated. The party did not provide details of the alleged incidents during the press conference.

BJP targets ruling alliance

Sahu also targeted the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance and alleged that the state government was trying to suppress the student movement.

He accused the government of irregularities in recruitment and alleged that jobs had been sold, without providing evidence to support the claim at the press conference.

The BJP has demanded a CBI investigation into the recruitment process.

Sahu said the party believed the cases registered against students should be withdrawn immediately.

He also criticised leaders of the ruling alliance for meeting the Chief Secretary, arguing that they should have raised the issue with Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

“The government and police should focus on action against coal, sand and stone mafias and stop treating students like criminals,” he said.

The BJP president warned the state government against what he described as attempts to silence students through criminal cases.

He said the government should withdraw what the BJP has described as false cases against students and recommend a CBI investigation into the entire matter.

The press conference was also attended by state BJP spokespersons Ramakant Mahato, Deendayal Barnwal and Ravi Nath Kishore, and media co-in-charge Ajay Rai.