Surendra Soren
Ranchi
Thousands of candidates who lost their government jobs following the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination intensified their protest against the State government’s decision on Thursday, taking out a Tricolour March from Morhabadi Maidan to Albert Ekka Chowk in Ranchi.
The march began at around 5 pm from Morabadi Maidan and concluded at Albert Ekka Chowk. The protesters said the cancellation of the examination had abruptly ended the appointments of thousands of successful candidates and announced that they would continue their agitation in a phased manner until their jobs were restored.
Earlier in the day, a large gathering of employees affected by the government’s decision was held at Dhurwa Golchakkar Maidan. Employees from different services and districts began arriving at the venue from around 10 am. They had initially staged a sit-in outside the Jharkhand Secretariat and were later directed to shift their protest to Kute Maidan.
However, JSSC-CGL successful candidates and other affected employees assembled at Dhurwa Golchakkar, where they raised slogans demanding restoration of their jobs. Some protesters put ropes around their necks and shouted, “Give us back our jobs or hang us.”
Representatives of affected employees from different districts participated in the gathering and discussed the future course of the movement. The protesters unanimously decided to approach the court against the government’s decision. Vakalatnamas were collected from individual employees as part of preparations for the proposed legal action.
The protesters also formed a joint committee comprising representatives of employees from different services to coordinate the agitation. District-wise responsibilities were assigned, while separate teams were entrusted with arrangements related to food, tents and other logistical requirements. The participants also agreed to mobilise resources to sustain the movement.
The employees vowed to continue the agitation until their jobs were restored and said they would assemble at the protest site every day rather than return home.
Meanwhile, a large number of JSSC-CGL appointed candidates also gathered at Bapu Vatika in Ranchi, where they announced that their sit-in and protest would continue.
The agitation follows the state government’s decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL examination, which has triggered strong protests among candidates who had been selected and appointed through the recruitment process.
