Guwahati: A protest march in support of students demanding action over the alleged Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) paper leak turned tense in Ranchi on Friday after ink was allegedly thrown at All India Students’ Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora during the rally to the Jharkhand Assembly.
The students have been protesting for 14 days, seeking cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination and a probe into alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams. AISA organised the Assembly march to support their demands.
During the procession, a youth allegedly hurled ink at Bora. Police detained the suspected attacker along with several others soon afterwards. Although early reports linked the accused to the ABVP, there was no official confirmation.
Responding to the incident, Bora accused people associated with the BJP and the RSS of carrying out the ink attack.
She said those claiming to support students were instead targeting them when they protested for the cancellation of the JPSC and SSC-CGL examinations. Bora added that such actions would not weaken the students’ movement.
She also alleged that certain political groups were attempting to create the impression of supporting the agitation while diverting attention from the issues raised by the protesters. Calling for action on the students’ demands, she said intimidation would not stop the ongoing movement.
Before joining the march, Bora visited Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, where she met students on a hunger strike and expressed solidarity with them.
Bora said recruitment examinations conducted by government agencies in Jharkhand and elsewhere in the country must be transparent and properly managed.
She also said responsibility for paper leaks should not rest only with private agencies and that the government officials concerned must also be held accountable. She further demanded the removal of private agencies facing allegations of irregularities and corruption from the recruitment process.
Police said slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” were also raised after the incident, leading to a brief commotion.
Six participants continued their indefinite hunger strike on Friday. Their demands include an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC CGL recruitment examinations, among several other issues.