Assam CM Himanta meets injured contractual police assistants in Jharkhand

Ranchi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday visited a state-run hospital here to meet contractual police assistants who were injured in a clash with police personnel in the Jharkhand capital a day before.

Sarma, also the BJP's election co-incharge for Jharkhand, condemned the lathi-charge on the protesting contractual police assistants, also known as special police officers (SPOs), who were demanding direct recruitment in the police department along with an increase in their honorarium.

Opposition BJP has condemned the "police action by the JMM-led government on the contractual police assistants who were protesting in Ranchi for the last 17 days demanding permanent employment".

The saffron party slammed the Hemant Soren government, saying it failed to fulfill its promises.

Senior police and administrative officers had on Friday held a meeting with a delegation of the agitating SPOs and urged them to recall the agitation.

"We have assured the delegation that they will receive relaxations in various police department appointments. Specifically, they will be granted age relaxation and other concessions when applying for constable positions in excise, home guard, jail sipahi, and fire services," Raj Kumar Mallick, Additional Director General at police headquarters, had told reporters.

According to eyewitnesses, police resorted to mild lathi-charge to control the agitators near the CM's residence.

The agitating SPOs, who were camping near the CM's residence to press for their demands, went to Morabadi Ground later. They were holding demonstrations in the ground for around one week.

Earlier, Principal Secretary (Home) Vandana Dadel and DGP Ajay Kumar Singh held talks with a delegation of agitating SPOs urging them to end their agitation.

Mallick had clarified that while direct induction into the police force is not feasible, special provisions such as age relaxation will be provided to allow them to compete fairly with other candidates.

"They were informed that recruitments for another 6,500 posts in the police department would be held soon and they are eligible to appear for it. Besides, we assured them of extending their tenure, which comes to an end on August 9, by one year if they end their agitation," he had said.

"We have assured them of raising their honorarium by 25 per cent, contingent upon their disciplined conduct during the agitation and prompt return to their duties," Mallick said.

Union minister and the BJP's election in-charge for Jharkhand, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, attacked the JMM-led dispensation in the state alleging that every section of Jharkhand was suffering under it.

"(Chief Minister) Hemant Soren ji, you did not do the right thing by ordering the lathi-charge. These are poor sons and daughters of Jharkhand who are demanding their rights from you. Jharkhand will not forget this atrocity of yours. Soren Babu, your government has just a few more days left," Chouhan posted on X.

BJP leader Laxmikant Bajpai also condemned the lathi-charge, saying the Jharkhand government was unable to deliver on its promises and the saffron party is confident of a good show in the state elections, given it was ahead in 52 assembly segments during the Lok Sabha elections.

The assembly elections are due in the state later this year.

BJP state president Babulal Marandi took to X saying, "Every blow on the body of the assistant policemen will act as a nail in the coffin of the coalition government." Marandi, a former chief minister, alleged, "When he (CM) was not satisfied with the blood and tears of the policemen, the tents erected on Morabadi Ground were uprooted. Pregnant women (SPOs) and children (of agitators) were not spared, they were also dragged and beaten."