The youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jharkhand staged a significant protest in Ranchi on Tuesday, accusing the state government of an inordinate delay in providing scholarships to thousands of deserving students, primarily from the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Funeral Procession for Student Welfare
Led by Romit Narayan Singh, the president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Ranchi Mahanagar, the protesters organised a symbolic funeral procession to highlight the plight of students. Singh stated that the drastic step was taken because various students have not received their scholarships for the past two years.
"A total of 1.2 lakh SC and ST students in the Ranchi Division alone are affected," Singh alleged. "Their fees, hostel expenses, and book costs have stopped due to the government's negligence. The Jharkhand government has betrayed SC, ST, and OBC students."
Allegations of Financial Irregularities
The BJYM leader further intensified the allegations by citing figures from the state education department's report. He claimed that while the Jharkhand government received scholarship funds worth Rs 1,200 crore from the Central government over the last two years, there were irregularities in about 40% of the distribution at the state level.
Singh provided a more localized figure, asserting that in Ranchi district alone, over 50,000 students are still waiting for their scholarship money. The protest underscores a growing tension over the management and disbursement of crucial educational aid meant for economically disadvantaged sections.
Political Crossfire and Accusations
The protest did not go unanswered, triggering a sharp political rebuttal. Congress spokesperson Rishikesh Singh countered the BJP's allegations by accusing the central government, led by the BJP, of its own failures.
He hit back at what he called the BJP's "double standards," stating, "The BJP-led government at the Centre isn't releasing timely payments to the state as part of its share for the scholarship scheme. Yet, the saffron camp is showing double standards by doing politics over poor students."
This exchange points to a deeper political blame game, with students' welfare caught in the crossfire between the state's ruling alliance and the central opposition party. The situation leaves thousands of students across Jharkhand in a precarious financial position, impacting their continued education.
