J'khand exam stir: Man detained after throwing ink at AISA chief Neha Bora

A man threw ink at All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora during a protest march to the Jharkhand Assembly on Friday, 7 August over alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations, accusing her of being "anti-national".

The accused, identified as Amarnath Pandey, was detained and is being questioned at Dhurwa police station. No FIR has been registered as no formal complaint has been received, police said.

The incident took place near Birsa Chowk as supporters of AISA, the All India Students' Federation (AISF) and other Left student organisations marched towards the Assembly. "The man has been identified as Amarnath Pandey. He is being interrogated. No FIR has been lodged against him, as we have not received any formal complaint," Hatia DSP Neeraj Kumar told PTI.

Pandey later told reporters, "Bora is a supporter of Umar Khalid. I don't like her. She is an anti-national."

Former Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in September 2020 over the February 2020 Delhi riots case.

Bora dismissed the attack, saying it would not intimidate her. "I am not going to be scared by ink throwing, as I faced pellet-gun firing and baton charge during the Delhi protest. Do they think ink can suppress the anger of students and youth across the country?" she said.

AISA leader Shivani alleged that the accused was "a BJP-backed goon".

Addressing reporters after the incident, Bora accused the BJP and the RSS of trying to derail the student movement. "I want to ask the right wing and BJP members, who claim to carry out the students' movement from Jaipal Singh Stadium, why they resorted to violence when we were taking out a peaceful march on the very same demands," she said.

She alleged that the attack was an act of "revenge" for her role in the Delhi student agitation that culminated in the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Bora had also observed a 23-day hunger strike during the Jantar Mantar protest. She said AISA would participate in the students' protest scheduled for 10 August at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium.

Earlier in the day, Bora visited the protest site to express solidarity with students demanding cancellation of the JPSC and JSSC CGL examinations over alleged large-scale irregularities and an immediate re-examination.

"I support the students protesting at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, demanding cancellation of the JPSC and JSSC CGL exams over alleged large-scale irregularities, scams and corruption, and an immediate re-examination schedule," she said.

She urged the Jharkhand government to engage with the protesters, address their demands and ensure medical care for those on indefinite hunger strike.

The BJP rejected Bora's allegations. Party spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said, "We don't support any such activity during a protest. But, prima facie, it appears to be a stage-managed show because AISA's parent organisation is part of the government and she had more security personnel surrounding her than the agitators themselves."

AISA members had linked the attacker to the ABVP, an allegation rejected by the student organisation. ABVP media coordinator Satyam Mishra described the incident as a "sponsored drama" aimed at gaining "cheap" publicity and media attention. "ABVP clearly believes that if anyone has committed such an act, it is condemnable. It does not support any such activity, nor has its working method ever been of this kind," Mishra said.

The ink-throwing incident came as the agitation over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations entered its 14th day. Six protesters are currently on an indefinite hunger strike after, they said, repeated appeals to the government failed to elicit any concrete response.

Five protesters, including two women, joined Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha leader Devendra Nath Mahto's fast on Tuesday night. Mahto has been on hunger strike for six days. On Thursday, the protesters constituted an 11-member delegation for talks after chief minister Hemant Soren said his government was open to dialogue. However, the students alleged they had received no formal invitation from the government, and the impasse continues.

The protest, launched on 25 July under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, has grown into one of Jharkhand's largest student-led movements in recent years.

With PTI inputs