Ramgarh/ Deoghar, Sep 11 (PTI): BJP workers on Friday staged demonstrations at collectorates in several Jharkhand districts, demanding withdrawal of cases registered against students and a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment exams.
The protests marked the conclusion of the BJP's four-day, phase-wise agitation that began on September 8.
Led by BJP's Ramgarh district president Sanjeev Kumar Singh, hundreds of party workers took out a foot march from NH-23 to the Collectorate and gheraoed the DC-SP office, raising slogans against the Hemant Soren government.
They later submitted a memorandum to the Ramgarh deputy commissioner.
Former chief minister Madhu Koda, who also joined the protest, accused the state government of crushing the aspirations of the youth.
He said injustice is being done to Jharkhand's youth, who are waiting for employment, and demanded immediate withdrawal of cases filed against students who staged protests peacefully.
Barkagaon MLA Roshan Lal Choudhary said the BJP will fight for students' rights from the streets to the assembly.
In Deoghar, a large procession was taken out from Shivlok premises and passed through various thoroughfares of the city before reaching the district collectorate, where BJP workers staged a demonstration.
Dhanbad MLA Raj Sinha, former agriculture minister Randhir Singh, and former Deoghar MLA Narayan Das joined the protest among others.
Sinha said the agitation will continue until the government withdraws the FIRs against the students.
Similar protests were also organised in Khunti and Godda districts.
At least six FIRs were lodged against more than 50 named and over 1,100 unnamed agitators following clashes between police and job aspirants in Ranchi, Giridih and Hazaribag on August 23 during protest marches.
Students and job aspirants under the banner of JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch staged protests against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams from July 25.
The stir was withdrawn after the state government on August 18 announced the cancellation of a host of recruitment tests, including the JSSC-CGL-2023 conducted on September 21 and 22, 2024.
However, the Jharkhand High Court stayed the government's decision to cancel certain exams, including the JSSC-CGL-2023, based on a plea by successful candidates who feared job loss.
(PTI)
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.