Jammu: Leader of Opposition (LoP) Sunil Sharma on Tuesday expressed solidarity with the students protesting in Jharkhand against alleged irregularities, corruption and paper leaks in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
The press conference was attended by BJP National Secretary & MLA Jammu South Shri Narinder Singh along with BJP State Spokespersons Shri Vikram Malhotra and Shri Zorawar Jamwal, who were present in support of the issues raised concerning the rights and aspirations of students.
Addressing a press conference, Sharma said that the ongoing student agitation is fundamentally a struggle for justice, transparency and accountability. He emphasized that the students’ movement has remained peaceful, disciplined and organic, with the protesters conducting themselves within the framework of parliamentary language, constitutional values and the rule of law.
Sharma said that the grievances raised by the students regarding the recruitment examination process deserve to be addressed with seriousness and transparency. He noted that the demand for an independent investigation, including a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry, is aimed at establishing the facts, restoring confidence in the recruitment process and ensuring that deserving candidates are not deprived of their rightful opportunities.
“The youth of the country place their faith in competitive examinations as a means of building their future. Any allegation of paper leaks, irregularities or manipulation in recruitment examinations strikes at the very foundation of that trust. These concerns must be investigated impartially and transparently,” Sharma said.
The Leader of Opposition strongly criticised the alleged use of force against students participating in the agitation. He said that peaceful students raising legitimate concerns should not be met with lathicharge or coercive measures. According to Sharma, the appropriate response of a democratic administration should be dialogue, engagement and a credible mechanism for addressing grievances, rather than force.
Sharma also questioned the silence of the Congress and its alliance partners on the issue. He accused the opposition parties of adopting a selective approach towards student movements and alleged that political considerations were being placed above the concerns and welfare of young people.
He said that the concerns of students should not become a matter of political convenience. “The aspirations of our youth cannot be reduced to political calculations. Students demanding fairness in examinations deserve to be heard, irrespective of which state or political party is involved,” he said.
Sharma further called upon young people to remain vigilant against attempts to politicise genuine grievances and urged them to continue expressing their concerns through peaceful and constitutional means. He stressed that democratic institutions must protect the rights and aspirations of students while ensuring that legitimate public grievances are addressed through due process.
The Leader of Opposition reiterated that transparency in recruitment, accountability in public institutions and protection of students’ democratic rights are essential to maintaining public confidence in the examination and recruitment system.
He called upon the Jharkhand administration to engage with the protesting students, address their concerns through a credible process and ensure that any allegations of examination irregularities are subjected to an impartial and time-bound investigation.
