Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday wrote a letter to Jharkhand’s Chief Minister (CM) Hemant Soren, urging him to personally meet students protesting against alleged irregularities in the state’s recruitment examinations. He said such an interaction would reinforce the state government’s commitment to resolving the crisis.
Notably, the Congress is a constituent of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led government in the state.
Rahul Gandhi (Left) and Hemant Soren (Right)
The letter, dated August 14, was released on Monday, in which Gandhi said the students’ protest had remained peaceful and termed their demands legitimate. He also welcomed the state government’s efforts to engage with the protestors by means of dialogue.
Protest enters 24th day
The student-led protests and hunger strike over alleged irregularities in the exams conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) entered its 24th day on Monday.
Meanwhile, the state government is all set to hold a fourth round of talks with a delegation of the protesting students. Concurrently, the state’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) is probing the alleged examination irregularities.
So far, the CID has arrested 20 persons in connection with the case, including the former chairman of JPSC L Khiangte.
Representative image
Gandhi underlined that the government had reached a consensus with students on several of their demands even as the agitation continued, with some protestors remaining on an indefinite hunger strike.
A line from Gandhi’s letter read, “The youth of India is its future. We owe them our solidarity and support at this moment of crisis,” urging CM Soren to make every possible effort to hear the students’ concerns and take appropriate steps in this direction.
Ministers holding talks with students
A 4-member group of state ministers, including one from the Congress, has been negotiating with the protesting students. However, a section of the students has demanded CM Soren’s direct intervention in the matter.
Gandhi also took aim at the BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing them of exerting influence over India’s education system.
A still from the protests
He emphasised that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and a fundamental pillar of democracy, adding that the Congress had extended its support to students protesting alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the education system in recent months.
Furthermore, he alleged that the education system had been hijacked by the RSS and BJP and transformed into a means of exploiting and oppressing students. He contrasted this with what he described as India’s earlier ‘robust education system.’