Students protesting against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations in Jharkhand for the past 21 days took out a "Aakrosh Yatra" from Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to Albert Ekka Chowk in Ranchi on Friday evening.
During the march, they burned effigies of four state ministers and raised slogans against the government.
The protesting students said they are angry with the ministers’ alleged remarks regarding the ongoing agitation. Effigies of ministers Sudivya Kumar, Deepika Pandey Singh, Irfan Ansari, and Shilpi Neha Tirkey were burned as a mark of protest.
The students claimed that the comments made by the ministers had hurt their sentiments.
They said their movement has remained peaceful and urged the government to take their demands seriously.
Protesters also raised slogans highlighting various issues related to their demands. The demonstration caused a brief disruption in the area.
Students asserted that the agitation would continue until the government takes concrete decisions on their key demands.
The students have also announced a massive Tiranga Padyatra in Ranchi on Independence Day.
Student leaders claimed that participants from all 24 districts of Jharkhand are expected to join the march. Students have been urged to start arriving at the protest venue from Friday evening.
The padyatra has been called by the Reform Manch, which has appealed to various student organisations to participate.
Organisers maintained that the Tiranga Padyatra would be entirely peaceful and would serve as a democratic means of conveying their demands to the government on Independence Day.
The agitating students have been questioning the conduct of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) CGL examination and the 11th to 13th Joint Civil Services Examination conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC).
Their principal demands include cancellation of the examinations and a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities.
Protesters allege large-scale malpractices in the recruitment process.
Students said the government has agreed to some of their demands but has yet to take a clear decision on the key issues. They stressed that the proposed Tiranga Padyatra is not directed against any political party but is intended to press for a transparent and fair recruitment process.
Picture Courtesy: IANS
