Ranchi : After activist Devendra Mahto called off his indefinite hunger strike on Monday evening, several other student protesters in Ranchi also ended their agitation. The development followed the Jharkhand government’s decision to cancel the results of all competitive examinations conducted by testing agency TDPL since 2014 and its assurance of reforms. However, a section of the protesters said they would continue their agitation until their primary demand—a CBI probe into the cancelled examinations—is met.
Mahto said the demands for which they had been protesting “in a constitutional and peaceful manner” had been met, prompting them to suspend the agitation. “Today, on the 16th day of our hunger strike, we have ended our fast in a very dignified manner,” Mahto said, crediting Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari, Minister Dipika Pandey and MLA Jairam Mahato for their “joint initiative” in resolving the issues.
Mahto said the government’s move was particularly significant as the CGL examination appointment and joining processes had already been completed, while students had raised conflicting claims about their cases. “The decision taken today was not easy,” Mahto said, adding that the government conducted an “honest and impartial inquiry” and found a way forward for all sides.
Ravindra Paswan thanked Chief Minister Hemant Soren and the state government for taking a “historic and bold decision” in students’ interest, but urged the government to order a CBI investigation into the cancelled examinations. “If you order a CBI investigation, then all of us students are with you,” he said. Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced on Monday that all examinations conducted through TDPL and the results published by the agency would be cancelled.
He also announced that all examinations conducted through TDPL since 2014 would be investigated by the Crime Investigation Department (CID). The decision came amid a major student protest at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Munda Ground over alleged irregularities and paper leak allegations involving the JSSC-CGL and other recruitment examinations. Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari said student leaders Devendra Mahto, Umme Habiba and Rahul Kranti voluntarily ended their hunger strike after the government accepted their demands.
According to the minister, all three student leaders underwent medical examinations and were found to be healthy, with their blood pressure and blood sugar levels reported to be normal. They were subsequently discharged. Students celebrated at the protest site soon after Soren announced the cancellation.
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