New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha, speaking on the ongoing students’ protest in Jharkhand on Sunday, said the deadlock between the government and protesting students must be brought to an end, stressing that any decision regarding their demands should be based on a clear blueprint rather than “empty assurances”.
Jha said he believes that paper leaks and irregularities in competitive examinations are not limited to one state and represent a much larger issue, affecting Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and even his home state of Bihar.
The students in Ranchi have been staging their protest continuously after alleged irregularities in the 14th Civil Services Preliminary Examination conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) came to light on July 2.
The demonstration entered its 16th day on Sunday with no signs of retreat, as the second round of talks between the protesting students and the Hemant Soren-led state government once again failed to produce any breakthrough or agreement on their key demands.
Speaking to IANS about the protest, Jha said, “I believe all the deadlocks should be resolved, whether in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, or my own state of Bihar. Today, the largest section of the population consists of students and youth. The issue is not just about the cancellation of examinations; that is only a small part of the larger problem.”
“The bigger issue is that people do not have jobs and cannot see a way forward. So what will they do? The government has to create opportunities based on hope and optimism, no matter where the government is. The deadlock should end, and the future decision should be based on a blueprint, not on empty assurances,” the RJD MP added.
Jha’s remarks came amid the prolonged standoff in Ranchi, where students have continued to demand action over alleged irregularities in the recruitment examination process.
The RJD is an ally of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in the INDIA bloc.
Meanwhile, former Union Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dharmendra Pradhan recently claimed that some people had attempted to mislead members of Gen Z during the protests surrounding the NEET paper leak issue. Speaking during a programme held at the Gangadhar Meher University in Sambalpur on Saturday, Pradhan said, “I believe that some people tried to mislead our Gen Z.”
Reacting to Pradhan’s remarks, Jha questioned whether political leaders and others fully understood the concerns and language of the younger generation before the student movements intensified.
“If you think you can mislead the next generation, then you do not know that generation. Among all of us, I would not single out Dharmanendra Pradhan; how many of us were actually aware of the language used by the youth nowadays and their sentiments?” Jha said.
He further argued that the scale and intensity of the protests eventually forced political leaders and governments to recognise the concerns being raised by young people.
“When the ground beneath their feet started shaking, it was then that, not only them, but all of us realised it, and the government realised it last of all. From this perspective, the theory of misleading people does not work,” the RJD MP added.
–IANS
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