Babulal Marandi Warns of Protest Over Alleged One-Sided Action Against Students

BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi on Tuesday reached the office of the Ranchi Sadar Circle Officer and magistrate along with other party leaders, protesting what he described as one-sided action against students who have been campaigning against alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations.

Marandi alleged that students were being unfairly targeted following a recent effigy-burning programme, while those who allegedly disrupted the protest and misbehaved with female students had not faced similar action.

Speaking at the office of the Sadar CO, Marandi said government officials should act according to the law rather than work under political pressure. He alleged that the magistrate deployed during the protest had taken one-sided action against the students.

“We have come here to make such officials aware of their responsibilities,” Marandi said, urging the magistrate to ensure impartial action in the case.

The BJP leader alleged that people associated with the JMM had created a disturbance during the students’ programme, but cases were subsequently filed against the protesting students. He demanded that FIRs also be registered against those allegedly responsible for disrupting the programme.

Marandi warned that if the authorities failed to take action against the alleged offenders, BJP leaders and workers would stage a sit-in protest outside the magistrate’s office.

He said the students had organised the effigy-burning programme peacefully as part of a previously announced protest against alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations and what they described as a conspiracy by the state government.

According to Marandi, some people allegedly disrupted the programme and misbehaved with female students, but the magistrate did not initiate action against them. He pointed to videos and other material circulating on social media, claiming that they could help establish what happened during the incident.

Marandi alleged that the failure to take action against those accused of creating the disturbance gave the impression that the magistrate was working under government pressure. He also made allegations about the functioning of the state administration and the presence of a CID official at the SP's office.

The Leader of Opposition had warned on August 24 that if FIRs were not registered against those he accused of disrupting the students’ protest, he would visit the concerned magistrate’s office on August 25 and demand impartial action.

Several BJP leaders and workers, including Deepak Prakash, C.P. Singh, Yogendra Pratap Singh and Varun Sahu, were present during the visit, along with hundreds of party workers.

The allegations made by Marandi come amid continuing political and student protests over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations in Jharkhand.

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