Huge uproar in Jharkhand Assembly over JPSC-JSSC recruitment issue on 2nd day of monsoon session

The Jharkhand Assembly witnessed intense protests and heated exchanges on Friday as BJP and other Opposition members raised allegations of irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).

As soon as the House assembled, BJP legislators staged protests inside and outside the Assembly, demanding action over alleged anomalies in several recruitment examinations. Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi sought an immediate discussion on the issue and demanded cancellation of the examinations along with a CBI investigation monitored by the Jharkhand High Court.

Marandi alleged that serious irregularities had surfaced in several recent recruitment examinations, including those for Assistant Teachers, CGL, Excise Constables, PGT Teachers and the 11th to 14th JPSC recruitment processes.

He said job aspirants were being forced to protest on the streets despite heavy rainfall, which he claimed was bringing disrepute to the state.

Opposition enters Well of House

After the Opposition's demand was not accepted immediately, BJP MLAs and other Opposition members entered the Well of the House and raised slogans against the government, resulting in considerable disruption.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Radha Krishna Kishore defended the government's position, saying the presentation of the First Supplementary Budget was an important item of business.

He said the Business Advisory Committee had already agreed on the schedule for taking up the issue during the session and assured the Opposition that it would have sufficient opportunity to raise its concerns.

Kishore also criticised the disruption, saying that repeatedly obstructing proceedings was not appropriate.

Congress Legislature Party leader Pradeep Yadav rejected the Opposition's allegations that the government was ignoring students. He said the government was sensitive to the concerns of job aspirants and pointed to the ongoing CID investigation into alleged examination irregularities.

Yadav questioned the demand for a CBI probe, asking why the Opposition lacked confidence in the CID when more than two dozen accused had already been arrested and sent to jail in cases under investigation.

He also questioned the credibility of the CBI and challenged the Opposition to examine appointments made through the first three JPSC recruitment examinations.

Ministers trade allegations

The political confrontation intensified when the Speaker questioned whether the House intended to spend its time discussing the NEET issue or the JPSC controversy. He also stressed that other important matters, including agriculture and farmers' concerns, required serious discussion during the session.

During the heated exchanges, Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu targeted Babulal Marandi and questioned the recruitment of people allegedly close to him.

Sonu asked Marandi to publicly disclose how many of his relatives and close associates had secured government jobs through the first and second JPSC recruitment examinations conducted in the initial years after Jharkhand was created.

The exchanges further intensified the political battle over the recruitment process, with the Opposition pressing for an independent investigation and cancellation of allegedly compromised examinations, while the government maintained that the ongoing CID probe should be allowed to proceed.

The Assembly proceedings remained disrupted as the issue continued to dominate the session, reflecting the growing political pressure on the state government over allegations surrounding competitive examinations and the concerns of thousands of job aspirants.

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