Normal Life Partially Affected in Rural Areas

Normal life was partially affected in rural areas of Jharkhand on Sunday, the second day of the state bandh called by a students’ organisation demanding 100 per cent reservation for locals in government jobs and withdrawal of 60-40 based recruitment policy.

The bandh evoked mixed response in urban areas of the state on Sunday.

Jharkhand State Students’ Union, an umbrella body of different students’ organizations, had called for a 48-hour Jharkhand bandh which started on Saturday, demanding Khatiyan (land settlement) based employment policy.

In Ranchi outskirts, bandh supporters blocked various roads including in Silli, Bundu, Rahe, and Tamar by burning tyres. They also put up road blockade on National Highway-33 in Bundu and enforced bandh in the markets of Rahe, Sonahatu, Silli and Tamar.

The protesters also blocked the Ranchi-Patna highway near Ormanjhi, causing a major traffic jam. The blockade was lifted after the police’s intervention.

Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kishor Kaushal said that as many as 12 agitators have been detained so far, who were creating disturbance in traffic movement.

“Forces are deployed at adequate numbers in all major locations of the district. The agitators tried to put up road blockades in a few places but they were cleared by the police at the earliest. No untoward incident has so far been reported from any part of the state. We are keeping a close watch on the agitation,” the SSP told PTI.

JSSU leader Devendra Mahto was detained from Bundu by police for blocking roads and enforcing bandh in different markets. Mahto, however, was released after a few hours. He, then, reached Ranchi city for the same cause but he was again detained by the police here.

Markets were open in the capital city and passenger vehicles plied as on other normal days. The long route buses that ply from Ranchi city were very less in number on Sunday.

In Ramgarh, women also took to the street and blocked roads. Near Tyre More in Ramgarh, the protesters danced to the beats of Dhol and Nagada. They also burnt tyres on roads to stop traffic movement.

In Dumka, the bandh impact was less on Sunday compared to the previous day. Shops and markets were open. Long-route buses did not ply.

The protestors took out processions in Jharkhand’s Kolhan region and different districts including Hazaribag, Bokaro and Dhanbad.

JSSU leader Devendra Mahto claimed that the two-day agitation was a “major success”.

“The government must have understood that youths are against the 60-40 based recruitment policy. It should immediately withdraw it and introduce a Khatiyan-based employment policy. Otherwise, we will intensify the agitation,” he said.

The JSSU had observed a state-wide bandh on April 19 as well over the issue.

Mahto claimed the government had promised an employment policy based on the 1932 ‘khatiyan’ (land settlement) but instead, it introduced a pre-2016 employment policy, under which 60 per cent of the seats will be reserved while 40 per cent will be open for all.

Making 1932 the cut-off year for the domicile policy will help descendants of people living in the region, which is now Jharkhand, prior to that year to get jobs.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)