Jharkhand Student Protest: Irfan Ansari Accuses BJP MLAs of ‘Attempt to Kill’ Hemant Soren

Ranchi, Jharkhand: In the midst of JPSC and JSSC candidates' ongoing protests over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, Jharkhand Health Minister and Congress leader Irfan Ansari has accused BJP MLAs of threatening Chief Minister Hemant Soren's life during the protest outside his residence. 

Ansari's comments come a day after BJP legislators held a demonstration outside Soren's Ranchi home while the Assembly was in session. The minister questioned why the protest was conducted outside the Chief Minister's home, claiming that the presence of Soren's family made the demonstration more serious.

Speaking in Ranchi, Ansari stated that the Chief Minister had a narrow escape while the Assembly was in session.

"Yesterday, our Chief Minister had a narrow escape. While the House was in session, BJP MLAs staged a sit-in at the Chief Minister's residence. That was not a protest; it was an attempt to kill. Just imagine, if a tribal Chief Minister of a state lives by the roadside without adequate security, and a protest is staged right there... suppose someone had jumped over the wall? The Chief Minister was there, along with his wife and children. If something untoward had happened, who would have been held responsible?" he asked.

Ansari stated that he had raised the issue with the Speaker and wanted individuals involved in the protest to be named. He stated that the aim behind the demonstration should be investigated, and he urged for stern measures if an inquiry revealed that an effort was made to harm the Chief Minister.

“That is why I have demanded today, and I have urged the Speaker that such individuals be identified. What was the intent behind this? And if the intent was murder or attempted murder then certainly, the strictest possible action must be taken against the BJP MLAs. That is my demand.”

Why has the BJP protest become a bigger political fight?

The argument occurs against the backdrop of a student movement that is on its eighteenth day of hunger strike. JPSC and JSSC candidates have been protesting alleged discrepancies in recruitment exams, seeking action from the state government.

Ansari, while defending the government's handling of the agitation, accused the BJP of attempting to seize control of what he termed as a student movement. He stated that the government had no objections to peaceful protests, but claimed that the BJP had invited foreigners into the issue.

“We have clearly stated that we support peaceful movements. However, the way the BJP tried to hijack the students' movement yesterday is not right. They sent troublemakers into the movement to crush it.”

He also questioned the BJP's decision to call a statewide shutdown in support of the agitation.

“They should be ashamed of using children as a shield. Who are you to interfere in the students' movement? Who called you? Today you called for a bandh (shutdown)--why? Who are you to declare a shutdown? The entire market is open. They put up bamboo barricades, and we are removing them.” 

On the students reaching the Assembly premises during Monday's protest, Ansari said the government deliberately avoided using force against them.

“Today I want to ask, if the youth managed to reach inside the Legislative Assembly, what does that signify? It was our silent consent; we did not want the youth to be shot at or injured and left crying. If it were a BJP government, how many bodies of young people would have been lying here today? With what face do they talk?”

What is the government saying about the students' demands?

While the political conflict has heated up, the Hemant Soren government has stated that it is willing to resolve the concerns made by the candidates. Soren has stated that most of the students' demands have already been met and that the state's examination method may be revised.

"We are ready to review all the exams. The examination system will be improved," Soren said. Ansari also claimed that the government has already met most of the students' demands.

“Today, it is the students' demand, and we are supporting them. We want their demands to be met, and we have already fulfilled 95 per cent of them.”

The minister also visited Sadar Hospital in Ranchi on Tuesday, where student leader Devendra Nath Mahto and other protesters were undergoing treatment after Monday's demonstration outside the Assembly. Ansari said he personally met injured students and claimed he had gone to the hospital without security.

“Last night, I went to see the injured students myself without any security. This is my empathy for the youth and my love for them. I did not have a single bodyguard; I drove there alone. I met every student, called the doctors and ensured they were present there.”

He added that some students had complained of feeling unwell and were provided immediate medical attention. “A couple of students said they were feeling unwell; we took immediate action, and now all of them are doing better. Our police force has also suffered injuries on a large scale, and we are treating them as well.”

Ranchi witnesses road blockade, BJP bandh, lathi charge 

The political standoff spilled onto the streets on Tuesday, with BJP workers blocking Ratu Road in Ranchi during the statewide Jharkhand Bandh, which was called amid the JPSC-JSSC protest. The Jharkhand Police intervened to remove the BJP workers and end the road roadblock.

The shutdown announcement came the day after a big gathering of JPSC and JSSC candidates outside the state Assembly. Monday's rally became tense when protestors and security forces clashed near the Assembly, prompting reports of severe police lathi-charge.

Several pupils were later hospitalised to Sadar Hospital. The students have been on hunger strike for nine consecutive days, putting pressure on the state administration to meet their demands.