JPSC-JSSC row: LoP Babulal Marandi, BJP leaders detained amid protests outside CM's residence

Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, and several BJP leaders were detained by the state police amid protests outside the Chief Minister's residence against the alleged irregularities in Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations.

Babulal Marandi said, "Students are continuing their protest, but the government is distracting people. JPSC-JSSC-CGL, all of these should be investigated by the CBI."

The protest was launched after a party meeting in Ranchi, and coincided with the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march by the JPSC-JSSC Reform Morcha, which is leading the agitation at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium.


Earlier today, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo warned the JMM-led Jharkhand government against police action on student protesters amid heightened security during the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march.

Speaking to ANI, Deo, while urging Chief Minister Hemant Soren to accept the demands of the protesters, also alleged that the party MP Aditya Sahu was under house arrest.

He said, "Today is Chief Minister Hemant Soren's birthday. The students and their parents have already given you a birthday gift by bringing you back to power. Today is the time for a return gift; you should fulfil the demands of the students, who are asking for cancelling the exams conducted by TDPL, an outsourcing agency under question. You are not cancelling the exam and running away from a CBI probe. ED has probably filed an ECIR and begun the investigation."

"And the arrangements that you have made on roads today; these are students. You have put up barbed wires, deployed RAF with pellet guns, and our MP Aditya Sahu is under house arrest. Are you trying to show a reign of terror? This is a students' protest, and we do not want to give it a political colour. If even a single lathi is raised, every Bharatiya Janata Party worker will take to the streets for defence, and you will be held responsible for the consequences," the BJP spokesperson added.

The protesting JPSC-JSSC aspirants have maintained that their key demands, including cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, CBI investigation into alleged irregularities, and reforms to the recruitment process, have not been fully accepted by the state government.