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The Jharkhand assembly witnessed stormy scenes on Monday as the opposition BJP demanded a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the state civil services examinations, while Chief Minister Hemant Soren said those who have 'Manuwadi' mindset are not able to accept success of job aspirants belonging to SC, ST and OBC communities in the tests.
Dismissing charges of corruption in the examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), Soren said the tests were conducted without any government intervention. As soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour, BJP members started raising slogans demanding a CBI inquiry into alleged corruption in the examinations and removal of the JPSC chairman.
Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto asked the opposition members to follow the assembly norms to ask questions and get replies. "People who have Manuwadi mindset are having trouble over the JPSC results because members from SC, ST and OBC categories are coming forward and have performed better," Soren said in the assembly. The opposition has been attacking the government over alleged discrepancies in conducting the 7th JPSC civil services examinations from the beginning of the ongoing winter session on December 16.
Soren, however, said, "There has been no interference from the government (in conducting examinations). I challenge all 81 members here to come with any proof...We know what was the history of JPSC in the past when the previous government interfered with its activities," Soren said. The chief minister also said a former JPSC chairman was in jail and the CBI was also probing the case. However, opposition members continued their protests and were not satisfied with Soren's statement.
BJP MLA Amar Kumar Bauri said the CM was making "divisive statements to defend corruption and the JPSC chairman". CPI (ML) legislator Binod Singh said it would be better if the government came out with data to back its statement as they have access to all information. Later, speaking to reporters outside the assembly, BJP legislature party leader Babulal Marandi said the CM’s comment was a "diversionary tactic to defend corruption" as no one was raising questions about the category of people who have cleared the examinations.
"Why has the commission not put the OMR sheets in the public domain as it was promised in the examination notification?", he asked. The assembly, however, passed the supplementary budget of Rs 2,936 crore. Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon had tabled the second supplementary budget of Rs 2,936.12 crore on the second day of the winter session of the assembly on Friday.
-With PTI Inputs
