RANCHI: Several student organizations staged a dharna and hunger strike near the Jharkhand Chief Minister's secretariat in Ranchi on Tuesday, accusing Chief Minister Hemant Soren of being unfit to continue in office and demanding his resignation. The protest was coordinated by a loose alliance of student wings from opposition parties and independent youth groups who cited poor governance, rising unemployment, and alleged mismanagement of public funds as key grievances.
Hundreds of students gathered in the early morning, setting up camp on the lawns adjacent to the Raj Bhavan complex. Many carried placards reading "Hemant Soren unfit for office" and "Resign now," while others chanted slogans against the state government. Student leaders addressed the crowd through loudspeakers, accusing the ruling party of neglecting educational institutions and failing to deliver on employment promises made during the last electoral cycle.
The demonstration comes amid growing political friction in the mineral-rich state, where the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Jacob Khara led coalition has faced mounting criticism over inflation, inadequate infrastructure projects, and a series of corruption allegations involving senior ministers. Opposition lawmakers have repeatedly raised concerns in the state assembly, though no formal no-confidence motion has been introduced so far.
Student coordinators told reporters that the hunger strike would continue until the Chief Minister publicly addresses their demands or resigns. They also called for an inquiry into alleged irregularities in state scholarship disbursements and university admissions processes. Local police maintained a perimeter around the protest site but did not attempt to disperse the demonstrators, according to official statements.
The Jharkhand government has not yet issued a formal response to the protests. However, sources within the ruling coalition suggested that the administration views the demonstrations as politically motivated efforts to destabilize the government ahead of scheduled administrative reviews. Legal experts noted that while hunger strikes are a recognized form of peaceful protest under Indian law, prolonged fasts can raise public-health and liability concerns if participants require medical intervention.
