Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Is all not well? The student protest in Jharkhand’s Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, which has entered its 16th day, is witnessing turmoil as two student groups have fired shots at each other ahead of the sixth round of talks with the Jharkhand government on Sunday.
Sources close to the development told India Today’s Ashutosh Mishra, who has been on the ground covering the protest, that the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch and the protesters in the Jairam Mahato (also known as Tiger Mahato) camp are unhappy with each other. The friction between the two has escalated so much that the two factions are refusing to sit at the same table.
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The Reforms Manch has further accused the Mahato camp of “politicising” a movement that, according to its members, has largely remained apolitical and does not want to be given a partisan colour. Members of the Reforms Manch core committee have also accused several political organisations and the Hemant Soren-led government of weakening the movement by dividing people into different camps.
Speaking to India Today, Pawan Goswami said, “We are being associated with several parties today, and that is weakening the movement. We do not want to be associated with a party as the partisan ideologies do not fit with us.”
He also slammed All India Student Association (AISA) for allegedly working in favour of the government. “AISA is here to enfeeble the movement. CPI(ML) Liberation is part of the Hemant Soren-led coalition government. This is exactly what Hemant Soren wants. To create more camps among students so that the movement ultimately falls apart,” Goswami added.
Despite the hostility towards other student organisations, the Reforms Manch is not backing away from the planned assembly march that is scheduled to take place tomorrow. “The entire nation knows that we are marching towards the assembly tomorrow. And we will do that,” said Goswami.
UNITED BY CAUSE, DIVIDED BY CAMPS
Inside the Jaipal Singh Munda ground, several camps belonging to various student organisations have emerged.
On one side of the ground stands the Reforms Manch camp. Decked out in blue and white colours, this camp has attracted support from a section of tribal students. Draped in tricolour-themed T-shirts and with the National Flag in their hands, the students were heard sloganeering against the Soren administration.
The anger among the tribal students might be a concerning factor for Soren, as tribals form the core support base of his party.
Other than the Reforms Manch camp, the Jairam Mahato-led camp is also attracting support from students. Mahato himself has expressed solidarity with the movement and, to support the cause, he also held a dry fast on Sunday.
Other than these two camps, AISA has also set up its tent. However, not many students have turned up at them. Neha Bora, the national president of AISA, who played a significant role during the Jantar Mantar movement, visited this camp a few days back. Ink was hurled at her while she was leading a march towards the Jharkhand Assembly.
SIXTH ROUND OF TALKS TODAY
Amid all the uncertainties, the Jharkhand government delegation will meet the protesters on Sunday at 12 pm.
The decision came after the government panel held talks with several student organisations, including the Reforms Manch, the Congress-backed NSUI, Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha, and Adivasi Chhatra Sangh. On Friday, the government held talks with the Reforms Manch, and on Saturday, it had a discussion with others.
Following the discussion, the panel held a four-hour-long meeting with Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and it was decided that a final round of talks would be held between the government and the protesting students.
The fresh development has triggered a major controversy as the Reforms Manch strongly objected to the government’s engagement with other bodies. Ravindra Paswan, a leader of the group, said the government was trying to weaken the agitation by holding talks with organisations that had “played no role in the ongoing protest.”
The Reforms Manch is most likely to skip the discussion on Sunday. The Mahato-led faction will be present at the talks.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
