Rahul writes to Soren, suggests that he personally meet protesting students

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to chief minister Hemant Soren, suggesting he “personally meet” the students protesting against the alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, underlining that it will help reinforce the Jharkhand government’s commitment to resolving the crisis. Congress is a constituent of the state’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led government.

In a letter dated August 14 (Friday) and released on Monday, Gandhi underlined that the protest has been peaceful and the demands are legitimate.

The protest and hunger strike against irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) recruitment exams have entered the 24th day. The state government is set to hold the fourth round of dialogue with a student delegation on Monday.

The Jharkhand Police’s Crime Investigation Department is probing the exam irregularities and has arrested 20 people, including former JPSC chairman L Khiangte.

Gandhi appreciated the Jharkhand government’s dialogue with the protesters. He noted that an agreement has been reached on several demands even as 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.”

A group of four state ministers, including one from the Congress, has been negotiating with the students, amid demands from a section of students that Soren must step in.

Gandhi attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological fount, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), for capturing the education system. “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,” he said.

“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.”