Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], August 10 : Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) MLA Jairam Kumar Mahato on Monday said that the protest is fundamentally driven by students seeking accountability. He added that the agitation will come to a rest once the demands are fulfilled.
"Fundamentally, they are students. As for the opposition parties, indirect support will always be there; that happens with every government. But fundamentally, they are students; it's their agitation, and once their demands are met, they won't agitate anymore," he said.
He added, "I am going there (to the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march of students), I will come back and tell you what the matter is."
Meanwhile, JLKM MLA Jairam Mahato left to participate in the Assembly march.
A large number of student protesters gathered near the Vidhan Sabha in Ranchi during the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch's march against the alleged irregularities in the examinations and recruitment process. The protesters formed a human chain and marched towards the Vidhan Sabha.
The Jharkhand Police used water cannon against student protesters attempting to break through the barricading during the Vidhan Sabha Gherao march.
Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto also joined the JPSC-JSCC Reform Morcha's 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march against the alleged exam irregularities and said that the state government "will have to listen to the students' demands."
Carrying former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren's portrait, student leader Mahto said, "Despite being on hunger strike, the barbed wires will not be able to stop us. I came here in an ambulance. The government will have to listen to us."
Asking the public not to make him a hero, he added, "I am no God or messiah; I am a common man. There will be no change in my personal life. But the barbed wires hurt more than the hunger strike. Students crossed three layers of barricading. Why does the government want anarchy and not agree to students' demands?"
The protesting JPSC-JSSC aspirants have maintained that their key demands, including cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, CBI investigation into alleged irregularities, and reforms to the recruitment process, have not been fully accepted by the state government.