'I Don't Think I Will Survive Longer': JPSC-JSSC Protester on Day 13 of Hunger Strike

A student protester participating in the JPSC-JSSC aspirants' agitation in Ranchi has voiced serious concern over his deteriorating health, as the protest entered its 23rd day and his hunger strike its 13th on Sunday, August 16. Prem Nayak said the government was "not serious at all" about addressing the protesters' demands and that the situation had turned critical.

"I don't think I will survive much longer," he said, adding that he had developed fever the previous day but refused to be taken away for treatment. "Today marks the 23rd day of the agitation and the 13th day of the hunger strike. The fever started yesterday. They advised me to be admitted to the hospital; however, I refused," he said.

Nayak also alleged that JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has also been on a hunger strike, was taken away by authorities and not being allowed to return to the protest site, claiming this was a deliberate attempt to "break the movement."

On the next course of action, Nayak said discussions were underway on whether to lay siege to the Chief Minister's residence, though nothing had been finalised yet. He suggested that a "Jail Bharo Andolan" (fill-the-jails movement) might be a more effective strategy than a siege, and also floated the idea of shutting down schools and colleges across the state as another option worth considering.

The JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch, the group leading the ongoing protest, also issued a pointed warning on Sunday, signalling growing frustration with the state government's response. "Gandhi ji ke raaste chalke dekh liya, ab Bhagat Singh bante hain (We tried Gandhi's path, now we'll become Bhagat Singh)," the group posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The protesters would burn effigies of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi across all 24 districts of the state on Sunday, alleging that the ruling JMM-Congress alliance "failed to take concrete action" on their demands. They have announced that they would gherao Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence in Ranchi on August 20, demanding his resignation.