CM should not be held responsible for court order, says JMM on students’ stir

Ranchi, Aug 22 (IANS) Amid protests by students over issues related to the JPSC and JSSC examinations, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) spokesperson, Manoj Pandey, on Saturday alleged that BJP leaders, coaching institute directors and other elements were playing a major role in misleading students. He also said that Chief Minister Hemant Soren should not be held responsible for a court order.

Speaking to IANS about the police baton charge on protesting students, Pandey claimed that the number of students present during the protest was comparatively low.

“That crowd—the number of students was very low. BJP leaders were present in larger numbers, along with some coaching institute directors and mafias. The task of misleading and misguiding the students is being operated directly from the BJP’s state office,” he said.

Responding to criticism directed at Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Pandey questioned why the Chief Minister was being held responsible for a court order.

“If the court gives a verdict or passes an order, why should Chief Minister Hemant Soren bear the brunt of the anger over it? Why are you making unparliamentary statements? In a democracy, an elected Chief Minister, chosen by the public, is an Adivasi. Is that his fault? Just because he is an Adivasi, will you abuse him? For a fault he did not commit, you are making such statements against him,” Pandey told IANS.

Jharkhand Congress media in-charge Rakesh Sinha said the state government had repeatedly engaged with the protesting students and acted on their demands.

“The government held three rounds of meetings with the students. Today, the students demanded that the 11th and 13th JPSC examinations and the JSSC-CGL examination be cancelled, so the government cancelled those examinations in response to their demand. However, the Hon’ble Court intervened in the government’s order and imposed an interim stay. This is only an interim stay,” Sinha said.

He urged students to remain patient, adding that the government would present its response before the court.

“The students must understand that the government has acted on their demands with commitment. The government will now file its response before the court, so the students also need to remain patient. We are continuously with the students. The students are ours, and the government belongs to the students,” he told IANS.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out between protesting students and police in Ranchi and several other parts of Jharkhand on Friday evening as agitators attempted to burn effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Similar confrontations were reported in Hazaribag and Giridih, where JMM workers allegedly clashed with students attempting to burn effigies of Soren.

The protesters, under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, accused the Jharkhand government of “deceiving” and “betraying” job aspirants after the Jharkhand High Court stayed several notifications cancelling appointments linked to the 11th and 13th JPSC examinations and the JSSC-CGL examination.

The Jharkhand High Court on Friday stayed notifications cancelling the appointments of Child Development Project Officers and candidates recruited through the JSSC-CGL examination.

–IANS

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