CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday condemned the police action against students and job aspirants protesting in Ranchi over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations, questioning why force was used against students but not political parties during protests.Speaking to reporters in his hometown Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dipke compared Monday’s crackdown in Ranchi with the police action during a student protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on July 20.“What happened in Jharkhand yesterday was very bad. We saw a similar scene at Jantar Mantar on the 20th, where tear gas was used and lathis were showered on students. I don’t understand why lathi charges and tear gas are not used when political parties protest. Why are they used only against students?” Dipke said.Thousands of JSSC and JPSC aspirants had marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi on Monday, demanding transparency in recruitment examinations and action over alleged irregularities. Police used batons, water cannons and tear gas after protesters breached barricades and moved towards the Assembly.Dipke said students were fighting for their rights and future rather than for political gains.“These students are fighting for their rights and their future; they are not fighting for any vote bank. There should not be this kind of lathi charge on them, and this brutality should absolutely not happen,” he said.Dipke also expressed concern over the condition of Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been leading the agitation and was on a hunger strike.“I spoke with Devendra Mahto ji, who is leading this movement. He told me that he had been on a hunger strike for nine days, and even after that, the police used lathis on him. He was beaten up and is now in the hospital,” Dipke said.He said the CJP had extended its support to the protesting students and that its team was present in Jharkhand.“Our job is to empower them, not to go there for self-promotion. Our entire team is present there, and we extend our full support. During yesterday’s march as well, our team stood shoulder to shoulder with the students,” he said.The protesters have been agitating since July 25, demanding transparency in recruitment examinations, cancellation of several exams and an independent probe by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges from outside Jharkhand.During Monday’s protest, police used water cannons near Jagannathpur Temple and fired tear gas shells as protesters moved towards the Assembly. Several protesters claimed they were injured, while Ranchi police said 14 policemen were injured during the clashes.Dipke said the agitation should continue under Mahto’s leadership and reiterated that his party would support students irrespective of which government was in power.Meanwhile, the BJP’s Jharkhand unit observed a statewide bandh on Tuesday over the police action during the protest.
