JMM Defends Hemant Soren, Says CM Cannot Be Blamed for Court Order on Exams

Amid growing protests over the JPSC and JSSC examination controversy, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Saturday defended Chief Minister Hemant Soren, saying he should not be held responsible for an interim court order that stalled the government's decision on the examinations.

JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey alleged that BJP leaders, coaching institute operators and other vested interests were misleading students and influencing the ongoing protests. Speaking to IANS, he claimed that the number of students at Friday's protest was relatively small, while political leaders and coaching institute representatives were present in larger numbers.

"The effort to mislead students is being operated directly from the BJP state office," Pandey alleged.

Responding to criticism against Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Pandey questioned why the Chief Minister should face students' anger over a decision taken by the judiciary.

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"If the court passes an order, why should the Chief Minister be held responsible for it?" he asked, while also objecting to what he described as unparliamentary remarks against Soren. Pandey said the Chief Minister had been elected by the people and should not be targeted for a decision that was beyond the government's control.

Congress says government acted on students' demands

Jharkhand Congress media in-charge Rakesh Sinha also defended the government's handling of the issue. He said the government had held three rounds of discussions with protesting students and had taken steps in response to their demands.

Sinha said the students had demanded cancellation of the 11th and 13th JPSC examinations and the JSSC-CGL examination, following which the government issued orders cancelling the examinations.

However, the Jharkhand High Court subsequently intervened and imposed an interim stay on the government's notifications related to the cancellation of appointments.

Sinha stressed that the stay was only an interim order and said the government would present its position before the court. He appealed to the protesting students to remain patient while the legal process continues.

"The government has acted on the students' demands with commitment. It will now place its response before the court," Sinha said, assuring students that the government would continue to stand with them.

Protests turn tense across Jharkhand

The political statements came a day after clashes between protesting students and police were reported in Ranchi and other parts of Jharkhand. The protesters had attempted to burn effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Similar incidents were reported in Hazaribag and Giridih, where JMM workers allegedly confronted students during the protests.

The agitation, organised under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, has intensified over the government's decisions concerning recruitment examinations. Protesters have accused the state government of misleading job aspirants and failing to protect their interests.

The Jharkhand High Court on Friday stayed notifications concerning the cancellation of appointments of Child Development Project Officers and candidates recruited through the JSSC-CGL examination. The court's interim order has further complicated an already contentious dispute between the government and protesting aspirants.

With the matter now before the court, the examination controversy is likely to remain a major political and administrative issue in the state in the coming days.