Ranchi: Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium remained the nerve centre of the students’ agitation on Tuesday, a day after protesters laid siege to Vidhan Sabha. As the stir entered its 18th day, students cooked meals, held meetings in small groups and discussed their next move, showing no signs of leaving until their demands were met.State govt’s acceptance of six demands — including cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination and the 2023 and 2025 backlog examinations — has failed to end the protest. It has also offered to examine all examinations conducted through TDPL, a private agency engaged by JPSC, and take action wherever necessary.The protesters, however, remain firm on their demands for cancellation of JSSC-CGL 2024 exam and a CBI probe.“We will remain here until our demands are met. Monday’s face-off was painful, and the way students were beaten was condemnable. We will intensify our sit-in, but there will be no large-scale protest or march immediately,” protest leader Ravindra Paswan told TOI.He said the hunger strike would continue. “Four students are still on hunger strike. One of them was admitted to Sadar Hospital on Friday, while Rupesh, Sabita and Hamiba are continuing their fast at the protest site,” Paswan said.The stadium continued to bustle with activity as protesters from different districts settled in for another day. While some prepared food, others gathered in circles to assess govt’s response and deliberate on the movement’s future course.“Acceptance of six demands is not the end for us. The two unresolved issues are the ones on which our trust depends,” said Prem Nayak, who has been on hunger strike for eight days.Pankaj Kumar, a protester associated with the JLKM-led JPSC-JSSC Nyay Manch, said the movement would continue even though its next course was yet to be decided. “Nayak is on an indefinite hunger strike and will continue until the demands are met. We are not certain about our next step, but the protest will continue,” he said.Signs of Monday’s confrontation were also visible across the stadium. Several protesters had returned with bruises, bandages and other injuries allegedly sustained during the lathicharge, commotion and use of water cannons.“I was among those beaten during Monday’s march, but the injuries have not broken our resolve. We have come from different districts and spent our savings because this is about our future. Going back without an answer is not an option,” said Rajan Tudu, an aspirant from Godda.For those still camping at the stadium, Monday’s confrontation appeared to have hardened, rather than weakened, the resolve that brought them to Ranchi 18 days ago.
