Kunickaa Sadanand joins Jharkhand student protest amid JPSC-JSSC row, urges government to be ‘transparent, accountable’

Actor Kunickaa Sadanand has shown her support for the students staging protest against the irregularities in the recruitment examination process in Jharkhand . visited the protest site at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday and spoke to the students who who had been on hunger strike. As the agitation has entered its fourth week, she urged the state government to listen to the students and address their concerns.

She had earlier joined a demonstration at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, which was led by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) following which Dharmendra Pradhan had resigned from his position of Education Minister.

Speaking to ANI, Kunickaa said the government needs to be more open and responsive towards the protesting students. She stressed that the aspirants are only asking for a fair chance and deserve to be heard.

She told the publication, “My message is to the government: please be transparent, accountable, and listen to these children. They are asking for an opportunity, which is their right. My message to students is that they cannot solve an issue that has been going on for 20 years overnight. They must give the government time and take a solid promise from them in writing. Only then will this be solve.”

The student agitation in Ranchi has already reached its 24th day, with many of the aspirants continuing to observe hunger strike. One of the leaders of the agitation, Prem Nayak, who is on fast for 13 days, talked about the worsening condition of his health and criticised the government for not paying attention to the demands of the students. The demands include conducting an inquiry by CBI in the recruitment exam held by JPSC and JSSC. There is also the demand for canceling JSSC-CGL examination and punishing those behind the recruitment scam.

As many as 19 people have been arrested by the CID of Jharkhand in connection with the recruitment racket case. According to the investigating agency, it is presumed that the racket involved approximately ₹ 40 crore.

The students have warned of staging a sit-in protest outside the house of Chief Minister Hemant Soren at Ranchi on August 20 if their demands are not met. The government, on its part, has called the agitating students for yet another round of talks on Monday. It will be the seventh such attempt to resolve the dispute.

The agitation also spread across Jharkhand on Sunday, with protesters burning effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in all 24 districts. As the students continue their protest and another round of talks approaches, it remains to be seen whether the government can finally find a way forward.

Kunickaa Sadanand is a seasoned actor who has featured in many Hindi movies and television shows. Some of her movie performances include Khiladi, Beta, Gumrah, King Uncle, Mohra, Koyla, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Hum Saath-Saath Hain and Page 3. Her television appearances have been in shows like Swabhimaan, Adalat, Dilli Wali Thakur Gurls, Akbar Birbal and Kaal Bhairav Rahasya.