'Personally Meet Students': Rahul Gandhi Writes to Jharkhand CM Soren, Urges Him to Personally Meet Protesting Students

New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to personally meet representatives of students protesting irregularities in state recruitment examinations and address their remaining concerns.

"I am writing to suggest that you personally meet with representatives of the protesting students. This will help reinforce the government's commitment to resolve their remaining concerns," he wrote.

Rahul Gandhi said the Congress believes that the right to peaceful protest, as enshrined in the Constitution, is a central pillar of democracy.

"The Congress party believes that the right to peaceful protest as enshrined in the Constitution of India is one of the central pillars of our democracy. We have, therefore, offered our full support to students protesting paper leaks and irregularities in the education system over the last few months. It is also our belief that the Indian education system has been captured by the RSS and BJP and transformed into a tool for the exploitation and oppression of students. It is no longer the robust knowledge system that it used to be a decade ago.

"As you are aware, students in Jharkhand have also been protesting irregularities in the State recruitment examinations. Their protest has been peaceful, and their demands are legitimate. I appreciate that the Jharkhand government has begun a dialogue with them through a committee instituted by you. I believe that there is also agreement on several demands raised by the students. However, the protests continue, and some students remain on an indefinite hunger strike. The youth of India is its future. We owe them our solidarity and support at this moment of crisis. Please do your utmost to hear them out and take appropriate action towards the resolution of this issue," he added.

The student protest at Jaipal Singh Stadium in Ranchi has entered its 24th consecutive day against alleged irregularities in examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).

Jharkhand student leader Devendra Nath Mahato on Monday expressed "hope and faith" ahead of the fresh round of talks with the state government, saying that if the government fails to meet the students' expectations, "the struggle will continue."

Speaking about the government's invitation for talks and its decision to allow students to bring legal experts, Mahato said he hoped the discussions would lead to a solution that ensures a fair education and examination system for future generations.

"There is hope and faith. But if the government fails to live up to it, the struggle will continue. I hope the talks satisfy the students, and we want an education system to emerge--a system that for generations to come, for those currently in 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade, or in school, or in +2, when those students face competitive exams, they shouldn't have to face such struggles," he said.

The student leader also said the proposed protests on August 20, including a gherao of the Chief Minister's residence and the Vidhan Sabha, would go ahead as scheduled if the talks failed to produce a satisfactory outcome.

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