Chaos erupted in Ranchi, Jharkhand, as student protesters clashed with police on Tuesday. Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) began a march to the state Assembly to protest police action, a day after security forces lathi-charged students marching toward the Vidhan Sabha.
Several ABVP workers were detained by police, and some activists could be seen climbing onto police vans amid the chaos.
The students have been protesting against the alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams.
Protesters have been demanding cancellation of the JSSC-Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination and a CBI investigation into the alleged exam irregularities.
BJP leader and LoP in the Jharkhand Assembly Babulal Marandi said that the government wants to conceal the truth using batons.
"The government remains obstinate, refusing to accept this simple demand and attempting to suppress the students' voices with force, but voices cannot be silenced by batons," Marandi was quoted by ANI.
He also added that given the way the administration resorted to lathi-charges and tear gas against the students on Monday, "It is only natural that we (the BJP) have called for a statewide bandh in Jharkhand today.
Meanwhile, JMM MP Mahua Maji accused the BJP of inciting students, claiming that Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren will look into all the demands raised by the students.
"98 per cent of their demands have been accepted; only 2 per cent of the demands remain, which is not within the government's purview. The CGL matter is in court. Many people are working on it. Cancelling it is not within scope; if we do, it would be an injustice to many youths," she said.
Police used water cannons and tear gas on Monday to disperse crowd members as they advanced toward the Vidhan Sabha. The protesters had gathered to demonstrate against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, claiming the state government has failed to address their core demands.
