Student protests continue in Jharkhand, clashes with police

New Delhi: Police in Jharkhand used force to disperse protesting students marching towards the state Legislative Assembly, leaving dozens injured, on Monday.

The students, as per reports, are on protest over alleged irregularities in government recruitment examinations, including test question leaks, from the last two weeks.

The police, as per media reports, fired several rounds of tear gas shells when the protesters were about 200 meters away from the assembly. Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi condemned the use of force against protesting students.

The protest intensified after repeated rounds of talks between the authorities and the students failed to resolve the dispute.

The protesters are demanding an overhaul of the state’s examination system, cancellation of certain tests and a probe by the federal police.

At least six protesters remain on an indefinite hunger strike, including student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, 33, who joined the front line of Monday’s march on a stretcher after fasting for nine days.

The Jharkhand protests come on the heels of much larger demonstrations in Delhi last month, which emerged as one of the strongest expressions of youth anger over examinations and jobs in recent years.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the independent youth movement that led those demonstrations, has since extended its support to the protesters in Jharkhand.

An official told the BBC that the state had begun investigating the allegations even before the current protest. However, the protesters are unmoved with the claims and want a wider probe into alleged recruitment irregularities.

Interestingly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is in opposition in the state has supported the demand of the students.

Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren described question paper leaks as a "national problem" and offered talks to resolve the impasse.