Ranchi: Jharkhand Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari visited Sadar Hospital in Ranchi on Tuesday to meet student protesters who were hospitalised following the ongoing agitation over alleged irregularities in the state recruitment exams.
The visit comes as tension between protesting JPSC and JSSC aspirants and the state government is growing.
Devendra Nath Mahto, the JLKM student leader, who is associated with Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha, was admitted to Sadar Hospital after his health deteriorated during a hunger strike. Mahto had been on a fast for nine days to support the protesting aspirants.
Students have been protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
They want to see action against exam malpractice, cancellation of disputed examinations and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, they say.
The protests spread on Monday as thousands of young job aspirants marched to the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi. The footage showed police firing tear gas, water cannons and batons to disperse the demonstrators after barricades were broken.
There were injuries and the political debate on the students’ demands intensified.
The government has maintained that it is willing to engage with the protesting students. New talks have also been held between government representatives and student organisations after earlier talks with student organisations which did not produce any breakthrough.
The Minister's hospital visit is significant as the health of hunger-striking protesters has become a major concern. A sustained hunger strike could cause severe health complications and therefore the government and student representatives need to come out with a solution.
The dispute has also drawn much wider political attention. Opposition parties have criticized the use of force against protesters and the BJP has called for a statewide bandh after the Ranchi clashes.
For thousands of government job aspirants, the dispute goes beyond one examination. They want it to be more transparent, accountable and confidence based on what happens with recruitment.
Now with new talks on the horizon, how and when the government and students should move on from this is up to the government and student representatives to get this resolved and to stop the agitation from spreading.
The hospital meeting has therefore become an important moment in the Jharkhand student movement, as questions on protesters’ health add urgency to the negotiations.
