Uttarakhand: Protests against recruitment exam paper leak continue

DEHRADUN: Protests against irregularities in successive recruitment examinations in Uttarakhand continued on Friday, with the protesters sitting on a dharna on the district and sessions court premises here, while Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said their interest will not be harmed at any cost. Former chief minister Harish Rawat also staged a demonstration here against Thursday's police lathicharge on the protesters, saying it was a brutal act that cannot be condoned. "After all, what is it that the children are demanding? They are only demanding their due," Rawat said. The Congress leader fell ill during the demonstration and was taken into an ambulance where his health parameters were examined. Later, Rawat said he was hurt in the jostling by police personnel. "It usually happens during agitations. Otherwise, I am fine," he said.

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As prohibitory orders were in force within a 300-metre radius of the Parade Ground, the protesters chose the court premises for their agitation. However, Inspector General of Police, Garhwal KS Nagnyal said the law-and-order situation is under control. Most of the protesters were within the court premises, the officer said, adding that those outside were being persuaded to disperse as the government has already fulfilled their demands by approving the promulgation of an ordinance, preventing the use of unfair means in examinations. Congress workers took out a procession in Dewal block of Chamoli district, demanding justice for the protesters. They also burnt an effigy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttarakhand.

One of the protesters in Haldwani said the government, police and the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission are dead and an association of unemployed youngsters will perform their last rites at Ranibagh. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami alleged that some political organisations that have lost ground throughout the country are instigating the protesters for their own interests. "We have been saying all along that some political organisations that have lost their ground not just in Uttarakhand but all over the country are behind it. The protest (in Dehradun) turned violent as elements from outside entered it. It is being ascertained who these people were," Dhami told reporters here, without naming any political party.

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A protest became violent here on Thursday as the protesters clashed with police and hurled stones at the latter. Police had to resort to a lathicharge, which caused injuries. Assuring the protesters that their interest will not be allowed to suffer at any cost, Dhami said urgent measures have been taken by his government to ensure that recruitment examinations are held with probity and transparency.

As promised to the protesting youngsters, the promulgation of an ordinance was approved on Thursday to prevent the use of unfair means in recruitment examinations, making it a cognisable and non-bailable offence. One of the provisions in the ordinance says the maximum punishment would be life imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 10 crore for those indulging in or facilitating the use of unfair means in recruitment examinations, from printing of question papers to publication of results. All examinations will be covered by the ordinance and the students found cheating will be disqualified from appearing in any examination for 10 years, the chief minister said. There is yet another provision in the ordinance for confiscation of properties. "The ordinance has been sent to the governor. It will become a law after he gives his consent to it. We have made the sternest anti-copying law in the country," Dhami said.

An examination, the question papers of which were leaked, was cancelled and fresh dates for a re-examination announced. No examination fee was taken for the re-examination from the students, who were also allowed to travel to the examination centres on Uttarakhand Roadways buses for free, Dhami said. "We have done all this only because we want to protect the students' interests. We want to tell our sons and daughters to focus on their preparations for the forthcoming examinations. All examinations will now be held with probity and transparency," the chief minister added.