Roads were blocked and tyres were set ablaze at several locations in Ranchi on Tuesday as the BJP enforced a statewide bandh to protest police action against student protesters during their march towards the Jharkhand Assembly. BJP workers blocked roads near the CMPDI gate on Kanke Road and in Kishorganj, Argora and Kanke, while tyres were burned near Nucleus Mall, Harmu Chowk and Kishorganj Chowk. The disruptions affected traffic and normal activity in parts of the city.
The shutdown, called by the Jharkhand BJP from 8 am to midnight, came a day after police used water cannons, tear gas and batons to disperse thousands of job aspirants marching towards the Assembly. BJP state president Aditya Sahu described the police action as atrocities against students and accused the JMM-led government of using force instead of addressing the protesters' grievances. A minor scuffle between police personnel and BJP workers was also reported at one location.
Most schools and business establishments remained closed during the bandh, while vehicular movement was reported to be low in Ranchi and other parts of Jharkhand. Essential services were kept outside the scope of the shutdown, according to the BJP. The protesting students, however, maintained that their movement is independent of political parties and said they would continue to focus on their demands.
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The students have been protesting over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). Their demands include greater transparency in recruitment examinations, reforms in the functioning of the two commissions, cancellation of certain examinations and an independent investigation by the CBI or a panel of retired High Court judges from outside Jharkhand.
Tensions escalated on Monday when protesters breached multiple barricades while attempting to reach the Assembly. Police said 14 personnel were injured during clashes, while several protesters also claimed to have sustained injuries. Police eventually stopped the demonstrators at the fourth Assembly gate after they crossed three gates and used tear gas, water cannons and a lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who had been on a hunger strike for nine days, was taken away on a stretcher and later admitted to hospital. His condition was reported to be stable and out of danger.
The students' core group is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to decide their next course of action, with protesters saying they want to hold talks directly with Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The BJP has backed their demand for an independent probe, while the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has also condemned the police action and announced a 'Vidhan Sabha March'. The continuing protests and the bandh have added to pressure on the Jharkhand government to address the recruitment-related concerns raised by job aspirants.
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