Jharkhand Students Reject Closed-Door Talks as Hemant Soren Government Opens Dialogue

The Jharkhand government has initiated talks with students protesting against alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations after nearly two weeks of demonstrations in Ranchi. While the government has expressed its willingness to resolve the issue through dialogue, the protesting students have insisted that all discussions must be held publicly and in front of the media.

The protest, which began after the declaration of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Preliminary Examination results, has grown into one of the state's biggest student movements in recent years.

Government Invites Student Representatives for Talks

On Wednesday, Ranchi Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Kumar Rajat visited the protest site at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium and informed students that the state government was ready for discussions.

He requested the protesters to nominate five to seven representatives to hold talks with a committee formed by Chief Minister Hemant Soren's government.

Officials also assured students that allegations related to the recruitment process were already under investigation and that the government was committed to resolving the matter.

Protesters Reject Closed-Door Meeting

Despite welcoming the government's decision to open talks, student leaders refused to participate in private negotiations.

They demanded that every discussion with the government should take place openly, with media cameras present, arguing that transparency was essential to restore public trust in the recruitment process.

Student leader Devendra Mahato, who has been on a hunger strike for five days, said representatives would participate in the talks, but the protest and fast would continue until the students' demands were fulfilled.

Students Continue to Demand CBI Investigation

The protesters have continued to demand a CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities in the JPSC recruitment examination.

The state government, however, has maintained that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is already conducting a thorough investigation and that significant progress has been made.

CID Arrests Exam Agency Official

In a major development, the CID arrested Rakshak Singh, an accountant associated with TDPL, the agency responsible for conducting the recruitment examination.

According to investigators, Singh was involved in the examination process and had also qualified for the JPSC preliminary examination himself.

He was arrested in Lucknow and later brought to Ranchi for questioning.

Officials said five more arrests had also been made, taking the total number of people arrested in the case to 20.

The investigation is being carried out by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is examining digital records, application data and other evidence related to the recruitment process.

Political Reactions Intensify

The ongoing protest has also triggered political reactions across party lines.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced its support for the protesting students, saying the movement represents a broader demand for accountability in public institutions.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning why he had not publicly commented on the protests despite his party being part of the ruling alliance in Jharkhand.

On the other hand, Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari said the government had already opened the door for dialogue and would carefully consider the students' demands.

He said the administration was willing to accept any reasonable demands after discussions with the protesters.

Protest Continues Despite Dialogue Offer

Although the state government has started the dialogue process, students remain firm on continuing their protest until concrete action is taken.

With negotiations expected to begin soon and the investigation into the recruitment examination still underway, the outcome of the talks is likely to play a crucial role in determining the future of the ongoing agitation.