Jharkhand students escalate protest on Aug 20

Ranchi, Jharkhand - Student leaders in Jharkhand have escalated their protest against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams and the leadership of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. On August 20, they plan to burn effigies of Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi across all 24 district headquarters. The leaders also demand the cancellation of JSSC CGL and JPSC 11th to 13th examinations, a CBI inquiry into the irregularities, and Soren's resignation if their demands are not met.

Piyush Kumar, a student leader, stated that the protest would move beyond the Gandhian way of peaceful protest. If the demands are not met, the Chief Minister should resign, Kumar declared. Another leader, Ravinder Paswan, accused the Congress of supporting the Jharkhand government despite students' demands. Paswan announced that students would surround Soren's residence on August 20, threatening to stay until their demands are met.

The student leaders have been protesting for 22 days, with some, like Devendra Nath Mahto, on an indefinite hunger strike. They accuse both the JMM government and Congress of playing politics over the demand for transparency in recruitment exams and a CBI investigation. Chief Minister Hemant Soren acknowledged the state government's efforts to ensure transparency in exams and improve education but announced no immediate changes to the protest demands.