After SC relief to protesters, BJP backs Jharkhand students, seeks FIR withdrawal and CBI probe
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Ranchi, September 2: A day after the Supreme Court extended relief to student protesters facing FIRs over demonstrations,…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, September 2: A day after the Supreme Court extended relief to student protesters facing FIRs over demonstrations, the BJP in Jharkhand stepped up its support for the state’s month-long student movement, demanding withdrawal of cases against protesters and a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
A BJP delegation led by Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi and state party president Aditya Sahu met Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum outlining the party’s demands.
The BJP said the move aimed to support students who had conducted a peaceful democratic agitation for nearly a month over alleged irregularities in various JPSC and JSSC examinations. The party alleged that police registered FIRs against students at different police stations during and after the agitation.
The memorandum submitted to the Chief Secretary specifically sought immediate withdrawal of the FIRs registered against students.
BJP cites Supreme Court relief to student protesters
The BJP’s intervention comes against the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s order granting relief to students facing FIRs linked to protests between July 20 and 25.
The apex court directed that FIRs registered across several states in connection with those student protests should not be pursued and treated as closed, while also restraining the registration of fresh FIRs for the specified incidents. The order has provided a significant legal and political backdrop to the BJP’s demand for similar relief for students in Jharkhand.
The BJP has now sought the withdrawal of cases filed against students during and after the state’s examination-related agitation.
CBI probe sought into cancelled, postponed examinations
The BJP memorandum also demanded a CBI investigation into examinations conducted by JPSC and JSSC that were cancelled or postponed amid allegations of irregularities.
The party has called upon the state government to acknowledge the alleged irregularities and recommend a CBI probe into all such examinations.
The demand comes after students in Jharkhand held a sustained agitation seeking accountability and action over alleged lapses in the examination system.
Action against commission members, officials demanded
The BJP also demanded action against those it considers responsible for the alleged examination irregularities.
The party has sought the immediate arrest of other members of the JPSC following the arrest of its chairman, alleging that they too should be held accountable.
It further demanded action against officials under whose supervision junior employees allegedly implicated in the irregularity case had worked.
The demands form part of the BJP’s broader call for accountability in the functioning of the state’s recruitment commissions.
BJP warns of agitation if demands ignored
The BJP has warned the state government that it will launch an agitation if its demands are not fulfilled.
In its memorandum, the party said the responsibility for any such agitation would lie with the state government if it failed to act on the demands immediately.
The intervention by Marandi and Sahu marks a clear political backing by the BJP for the students’ movement, coming soon after the Supreme Court’s intervention on FIRs against student protesters.
BJP’s key demands
- Immediate withdrawal of FIRs registered against students during and after the agitation.
- Recommendation of a CBI probe into cancelled and postponed JPSC/JSSC examinations amid alleged irregularities.
- Immediate action against other commission members allegedly responsible for the irregularities.
- Action against officials under whose supervision employees allegedly linked to the irregularity case worked.
