Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], August 10 (ANI): Amid the ongoing protests by JPSC and JSSC aspirants in Ranchi, Jharkhand Minister Deepika Pandey Singh on Monday stated that while the government respects the democratic right to protest, it must operate within the constitutional framework regarding the cancellation of examinations.
Addressing the situation, Minister Deepika Pandey Singh emphasised that the administration has been instructed to maintain law and order without the use of force.
“In a democracy, there is permission for protests; people are free to hold them. The administration is taking the necessary actions to maintain law and order. There will be no use of pellet guns, tear gas, or lathi-charge here,” she told reporters.
Responding to allegations of a communication gap between the state government and the protesting students, the Minister clarified that dialogue has been consistent over the past several days.
“It wasn’t a lack of communication; we held discussions for hours–talks have been ongoing for four days. We agreed to everything that was within the state government’s capacity to address,” she said.
However, she said that the primary demand of the protestors, the total cancellation of the CGL (Combined Graduate Level) exam–is complicated by legal parameters.
“The issue they are adamant about cancelling the CGL exam- involves judicial directives. The students should understand that the state government must operate within the framework of constitutional rights and established guidelines. We have accepted nearly every point,” Pandey Singh added.
The Minister further highlighted the government’s commitment to transparency, stating that they have welcomed federal agencies to probe any financial irregularities.
“We have kept the investigation open-ended; the state government is ready to have the probe conducted under judicial monitoring. We have even invited the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate the allegations of financial misappropriation,” she said.
The minister also revealed plans to involve premier educational institutions to ensure a foolproof system.
“The state government plans to introduce major reforms, and these plans were also shared with the students. There is a proposal to form a committee comprising experts from credible institutions like IIM, IIT, XLRI, and ISM to oversee these changes,” she added. (ANI)
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