Rahul Gandhi urges Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren to meet students
Rahul Gandhi has written a letter to Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has requested his colleague and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to meet with students protesting against irregularities in the state's recruitment examinations.
In a letter to Soren dated August 14, Gandhi stated that the students' protest, which entered its 24th day on Monday, is peaceful and their demands are legitimate. A large number of job aspirants are staging a sit-in in Ranchi. They are demanding an investigation into irregularities in the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Civil Services Examination, Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) Examination, and other recruitment exams.
Rahul Gandhi said,
The Congress Party believes that the right to peaceful protest enshrined in the Constitution of India is one of the pillars of our democracy. Therefore, for the past few months, we have been fully supporting the students protesting against paper leaks and irregularities in the education system.
He also "appreciated" that the Jharkhand government has initiated dialogue with the students.
He said,
I believe that consensus has been reached on several demands raised by the students. However, the protest continues, and some students are still on an indefinite hunger strike. I am writing to suggest that you personally meet with the representatives of the protesting students.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi, said that this step would further strengthen the government's commitment to addressing the remaining concerns of the students. He emphasized that the youth of India are the future of the country and stressed that "it is our responsibility to show solidarity and support them in this time of crisis."
The protesting students had told Rahul Gandhi on Saturday,
If the Chief Minister is not listening to them, he should withdraw support from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led coalition government.
The students also said that Gandhi has expressed support for them, but "no concrete action" has followed. The protesters have demanded the resignation of Hemant Soren, who is serving his fourth term since 2024. The students have also announced a protest outside the Chief Minister's residence on August 20.
Under the leadership of student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, thousands of job aspirants have been protesting at Jaipal Singh Stadium in Ranchi since July 29. It is alleged that seats in these exams were sold to candidates, including those from outside Jharkhand, for ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore. The protesters are demanding the cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination and an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment exams. They demand that the investigation be conducted either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or by a committee of retired High Court judges from outside the state.
The protesters claim that repeated irregularities in the exams are harming the future of deserving candidates and weakening public trust in the recruitment system. The students said that despite repeated appeals to the government, "no concrete action" has been taken, forcing them to adopt this harsh path of agitation. The JPSC has postponed the proposed Combined Civil Services Main Examination scheduled from July 25 to 27, citing "unavoidable circumstances."
The movement, under the banner of the JSSC Reforms Forum, began at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. On Thursday, the first day of the monsoon session, the issue reached the Assembly, where opposition MLAs raised slogans in the Assembly premises. The movement has gained momentum over the past 13 days. Six protesters are on a hunger strike. Social activists and volunteers are continuously present at the protest site, bringing food for the protesters throughout the day.
A JPSC-JSSC Reforms Forum official said,
In response to the government's offer for dialogue, we have formed an 11-member delegation. It includes eight students, two experts, namely journalists, and one lawyer. The protesters demand the cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination. Additionally, they demand an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment exams, either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or by a committee of retired High Court judges from outside the state.
It is noteworthy that the protesting students are also demanding comprehensive reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). The forum official said, "The role of journalists and lawyers will be limited to providing guidance, as we want peaceful dialogue and a resolution to this issue." Hemant Soren had said on Wednesday that the issue of paper leaks is a national problem. He had also offered dialogue to the protesters to end the deadlock.