Ranchi: What was supposed to be an Independence Day march in Ranchi took an unexpected turn on Saturday when police stopped Jharkhand protest leader Devendra Nath Mahto from leaving Sadar Hospital to join a Tiranga Yatra.
A video of the incident, which has since drawn attention, shows police personnel preventing Mahto from coming out of his hospital room. Mahto, carrying the Tricolour, can be seen trying to leave while officers stop him and take him back inside. The incident has added fresh tension to the ongoing protests over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations.
Mahto has been on a hunger strike over the issue and was admitted to hospital after his health reportedly worsened. He has been among the prominent voices of students and job aspirants demanding action over alleged irregularities in examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
After being stopped, Mahto questioned why he was not being allowed to participate in an Independence Day programme. He later sat outside his hospital room and said he would remain there until he was allowed to leave.
The confrontation comes against the backdrop of a larger student movement in Ranchi. Hundreds of aspirants have been protesting for weeks, demanding a transparent recruitment process and an investigation into alleged irregularities. Protesters have also been pressing for a CBI probe into the matter.
The Jharkhand government has already taken some steps to calm the situation. Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services examination, along with two backlog examinations. The government has also said that examinations conducted through TDPL would be investigated.
But the protesters say the action is not enough. One of their major remaining demands is the cancellation of the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination. The state government, however, has rejected that demand, saying the examination was conducted under court directions and appointments have already been made on the basis of its results.
The agitation took a more serious turn on August 10, when protesters marching towards the Jharkhand Assembly clashed with police. Security forces used tear gas, water cannons and batons to disperse the crowd.
Against this backdrop, the scenes involving Mahto at the hospital on Independence Day have become another flashpoint in the dispute.
For Jharkhand’s thousands of job aspirants, the fight is now about more than individual examinations. They are demanding confidence in the state’s recruitment system and clear answers from the government on allegations that have kept them on the streets for weeks.
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