Ranchi: Thousands of job aspirants, protesting alleged irregularities in various recruitment examinations in Jharkhand, began their march to the state assembly on Monday morning.
JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a fast for nine days over the issue, joined the march in an ambulance, despite losing 10.5 kg. He was seen carrying a portrait of former chief minister Shibu Soren.
Armed with the tricolour and placards, the demonstrators raised slogans in support of their demands as their protest entered the 17th day.
The march, which coincided with the 51st birthday of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, began from outside the old assembly complex in Dhurwa, and the demonstrators aim to reach the new Vidhan Sabha building.
Besides imposing prohibitory orders, heavy security has been deployed on the entire stretch, around 4 km long, with senior officers keeping a close watch, officials said.
More than 1,500 personnel from the Rapid Action Force, Indian Reserve Battalion, district police and QRT have been deployed, they said.
Most of the schools in the city have been closed, they added.
The government has held several rounds of talks with the demonstrators, but failed to break the deadlock. After the last round of deliberations, the government said it had accepted 98 per cent of the demands of the demonstrators.
However, the protesters said the government had agreed to cancel only three of the 13 exams they wanted scrapped.
"We will not compromise till our demand for a CBI probe is fulfilled," JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said.
The agitators are demanding comprehensive reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
They are also seeking cancellation of several recruitment tests, including the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination, and an independent probe into the alleged irregularities, either by the CBI or by a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.