Ranchi: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on August 11, Tuesday staged a peaceful protest outside the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly criticising the brutal lathicharge and use of water cannons on protesting students by the police on August 10, Monday. The students are continuing the demonstrations for weeks over irregularities and alleged paper leaks in JPSC and JSSC examinations. The protest was also held in support of the legitimate demands of students.
Students and ABVP karyakartas arriving in Ranchi from across Jharkhand in response to ABVP’s call were stopped at multiple locations. During the Assembly protest, police resorted to lathicharge against peacefully protesting students and ABVP karyakartas, including female karyakartas. Several students and karyakartas were seriously injured. ABVP karyakartas marching towards the Assembly were arrested, including National General Secretary Dr. Virendra Singh Solanki, National Secretary Abhay Pratap Singh and Jharkhand State Secretary Prakash Tuti.
Hundreds of karyakartas were arrested from different locations. The arrest figures being given by the government do not reflect the actual situation on the ground. Since early morning, vehicles carrying students and ABVP karyakartas towards Ranchi were identified and stopped at several locations. ABVP said the action was not merely aimed at managing the protest but was a deliberate attempt to prevent students from across the state from reaching Ranchi and raising their concerns democratically. Arrests began as soon as karyakartas reached the designated gathering point near the old Assembly premises.
When buses carrying arrested karyakartas were being moved, students and karyakartas peacefully lay down in front of the buses to oppose the move. Police dragged them away and resorted to lathicharge. ABVP has demanded an impartial inquiry into the police action against students and karyakartas on both days and strict accountability of officials responsible. The organisation reiterated that students’ voices cannot be silenced through lathicharge, water cannons or arrests.
ABVP demanded cancellation of the examinations facing serious allegations of irregularities and paper leaks, a high-level impartial investigation, strict action against those responsible and comprehensive technological, administrative and institutional reforms in the examination system.
ABVP National General Secretary Dr. Virendra Singh Solanki said, “ABVP organised today’s peaceful Assembly protest against the brutal lathicharge and use of water cannons on students yesterday. Instead of listening to students, the government stopped ABVP karyakartas on their way to Ranchi, arrested them and then again resorted to brutal lathicharge against peacefully protesting students and karyakartas”.
“Several female students were also present and many students have suffered serious injuries. The figures being presented by the government do not reflect the reality on the ground. The government used the state machinery to prevent students and karyakartas from across Jharkhand from reaching Ranchi. This deliberate attempt to suppress the movement is highly condemnable”, he further added.
“A government expected to resolve students’ concerns is instead using police force to crush their democratic movement. The voice of students cannot be silenced through arrests and lathicharge. ABVP stands firmly with the students and will continue its democratic struggle until their legitimate demands are addressed”, ABVP General Secretary exclaimed.
ABVP Jharkhand State Secretary Shri Prakash Tuti said, “Students have been protesting for a long time over serious irregularities and paper leaks in JPSC and JSSC examinations. Instead of addressing their legitimate demands, the government is using force to suppress them. Students are demanding cancellation of the examinations facing serious allegations and an impartial investigation”.
“Yesterday, peaceful protesting students were subjected to lathicharge and water cannons and today ABVP karyakartas supporting them were stopped, arrested and again subjected to lathicharge. This clearly exposes the government’s anti-student approach. The government should stop suppressing students and instead accept their legitimate demands, ensure an impartial investigation into examination irregularities and paper leaks, and take strict action against those responsible. ABVP will continue its democratic struggle until the students’ demands receive a just resolution”, he stated.
