Ranchi: Several activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) were taken into custody on Tuesday after they clashed with police while attempting to march towards the Jharkhand Assembly, PTI reported. The demonstration was organised to protest police action against students a day earlier in the capital.
Tensions rise after police action on student protesters
ABVP members were staging a march to voice objection to the use of lathis and tear gas on students who had been protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. According to PTI, the detentions followed confrontations as demonstrators sought to press their demand for accountability.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded by calling a statewide bandh on Tuesday from 8 am to midnight, citing the police action against protesters as the motive for the shutdown. The ABVP is the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP’s parent organisation.
Government response and ongoing probes
Chief Minister Hemant Soren, whose Mahagathbandhan includes the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal and CPI(ML) Liberation, said the state administration respected students’ rights and would treat their concerns seriously. Soren reiterated that steps were being taken to make the examination system more transparent and accountable.
“In a democracy, it is your right to express your views, and it is the government’s responsibility to respect your voice,” Soren said in a social media post, adding the government sought to make the examination system "more transparent, technology-enabled, secure, and accountable".
Officials have said the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been tasked with inquiries into the alleged irregularities in recruitment tests, according to statements in the Assembly and government communications reported by PTI.
Background: nationwide-inspired protests and local demands
The protests in Jharkhand began on July 25, mirroring demonstrations elsewhere in the country over perceived mismanagement of national competitive examinations. In Ranchi, students have maintained a sit-in at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium; PTI reported that six demonstrators are on fast as part of the agitation.
Protesters in the state are demanding cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Combined Preliminary Test held on April 19 and have sought an inquiry by central agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The demonstrations have also taken up alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examinations.
Scenes at the Assembly and public disruption
On Monday, thousands of students had marched towards the Assembly. Police resorted to lathi-charge and fired tear gas to control the crowd, injuring several protesters, PTI reported. Despite the measures, many demonstrators breached barricades and reached close to the Assembly premises; the House had been adjourned for the day.
The BJP’s bandh call led to localised disruptions across the state on Tuesday. Photographs and reports carried by news agencies showed BJP supporters staging protests, and in some places burning tyres. Law-and-order agencies deployed personnel in sensitive locations in Ranchi and other districts.
What officials say and parliamentary developments
In the Assembly, Chief Minister Soren addressed the issue, asserting that administrative and technological reforms were planned to prevent recurrence of irregularities. The government has said it will proceed with probe mechanisms already announced.
Opposition leaders have criticised the police response to student protests, while the ruling coalition has emphasised that it will address demonstrators’ demands through formal investigations. PTI reporting indicates that exchanges between opposition and government lawmakers grew heated during House proceedings.
Key timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 19 April | 14th JPSC Combined Preliminary Test held |
| 25 July | Student protests in Jharkhand began |
| 10 August | Large student march; police used lathis and tear gas, several injured |
| 11 August | ABVP march to Assembly; several activists detained; BJP calls statewide bandh |
Implications and next steps
- Students continue to press for cancellation of the April preliminary test and central agency probes.
- The CID inquiry announced by state authorities remains the official investigative route in Jharkhand.
- Political tensions between the ruling coalition and the BJP are likely to persist as the protests and probes proceed.
PTI reporting was used for the factual details in this account. The situation remains fluid as protests, investigations and political responses develop.
