Jharkhand protests: Students demand open talks with CM Hemant Soren

Students protesting recruitment exam irregularities in Jharkhand are willing to talk with the government but demand the dialogue with CM Hemant Soren happens publicly in front of the media, not behind closed doors to ensure transparency.

Students protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in Jharkhand on Thursday reiterated that they were willing to hold talks with the state government but insisted that any dialogue with Chief Minister Hemant Soren should take place in the presence of the media and not behind closed doors.

The protest, centred on alleged irregularities in the JPSC, JSSC CGL and other competitive examinations, continued in Ranchi even as the state government expressed its readiness to engage with the agitating students.

Students Firm on Public Dialogue

One of the protesters said that while a meeting held on Wednesday night had decided that delegation members would meet the government, the timing of the talks had not yet been finalised. "We also had another demand: if the Chief Minister comes out to speak with us publicly in front of live media on an open platform, a proper resolution could be reached. In our previous protest, our representatives were taken into a closed room, and nothing came out of it. They are calling a five-member team just to stall and suppress our movement," the protester alleged.

Another protester said the students had reached a consensus to send a four- or five-member delegation but opposed any closed-door discussions. "The Chief Minister should listen to the students' demands in front of the press and media, and whatever promises he intends to fulfil should be stated publicly. For the last 26 years in Jharkhand, students' issues have been heard in closed rooms, and the files have remained closed forever," the protester said.

Student leader Ravindra Paswan said the students had responded positively after receiving a message from the government through the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO). "The government has expressed its willingness to engage in dialogue, and we have also conveyed our willingness. Dialogue is essential in a democratic country as it is the only way to reach a resolution," Paswan said. He said the students had placed two key conditions before the government. "Our primary condition is that the dialogue should take place directly with the Chief Minister, and we have been assured that the Chief Minister will be present. Secondly, we want at least two media representatives to be present during the discussions. The SDO has asked us to submit the names of our delegation members before 10 am, after which the date and time of the meeting will be communicated," he added.

Government Ready for Talks

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari said the government had opened the door for dialogue and would consider the students' demands. "The Chief Minister has constituted the committee... We have opened the door for dialogue. Talks will take place, we will listen to your demands, and if they are reasonable, we will certainly accept them. They are our students, our children," Ansari told ANI. He also accused the BJP of attempting to politicise the issue.

Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Deepika Pandey Singh said the Chief Minister had taken a positive approach towards resolving the issue. "A committee has been formed, and a message has been conveyed to the students that the government is ready for talks. They have been asked to finalise and name their delegation so that the government's committee can engage with them. Dialogue is essential," she told ANI.

However, Jharkhand Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore clarified that no formal negotiation committee had been constituted. "A group of ministers, including Deepika Pandey Singh, Sudivya Kumar Sonu, Sanjay Prasad Yadav and Chamra Linda, has been formed only to monitor the agitation. They have not been tasked with conducting the actual negotiations. The government and the Chief Minister are sensitive to the students' concerns and will act in their interests. It is now up to the students to decide when and how they wish to engage in dialogue with the government," Kishore said. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)