A man allegedly threw ink at All India Students’ Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora during a protest march towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi on Friday, amid continuing demonstrations over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
Police detained the accused following the incident. Bora alleged that she and several other women protesters were targeted during the march and accused people associated with the RSS and BJP of being behind the attack.
The demonstration was part of ongoing protests over alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Civil Services Examination and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination.
‘I wear this ink with pride’
Following the incident, Bora posted a photograph showing ink splashed across her face, neck and clothes and said the attack would not deter her from participating in the students’ movement.
“For them ink is a tool to try to shame others, we will write the future with ink!” she wrote on social media, adding, “I wear this ink with pride.”
Bora claimed that around 20 other women were also targeted with ink during the protest. She further alleged that the accused raised “Jai Shri Ram” slogans before protesters overpowered him and handed him over to the police.
Accused cites Umar Khalid
While being escorted away, the accused told reporters that he had targeted Bora because of her support for former JNU scholar Umar Khalid.
According to PTI, the man said he did not like Bora because she supported Khalid and admitted to throwing ink at her. He also described Bora and others as “anti-nationals”.
Bora has emerged as one of the prominent faces of the recent student protests over alleged examination irregularities. She had earlier participated in the agitation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and undertaken a 23-day hunger strike.
Bora refuses to back down
Addressing protesters after the Ranchi incident, Bora said throwing ink at her would not suppress the students’ movement.
She referred to her experience during the earlier demonstrations in Delhi, saying she had already faced baton charges and pellet-gun fire and would not be intimidated by Friday’s incident.
Bora alleged that those claiming to support students were attempting to disrupt protests when demonstrators raised demands concerning recruitment examinations.
She said the growing anger among students and young people could not be contained through such attacks and accused political groups of using students’ concerns to further their own agendas.
Demands fair recruitment exams
Bora reiterated the protesters’ demand that government recruitment examinations be conducted transparently and fairly.
She called for private agencies facing allegations of corruption or irregularities to be removed from the examination process and argued that governments should accept responsibility for paper leaks rather than shifting the blame to outside agencies.
Bora also said the protesters would support the students’ planned agitation on August 10 and continue raising issues concerning the future of aspirants.
Meets hunger-striking students
Before the ink attack, Bora met women students who have been on a hunger strike in Ranchi over the JPSC-JSSC controversy.
She expressed solidarity with the protesters and called upon the Jharkhand government to address their demands and resolve the examination-related issues.
The Jharkhand government had earlier initiated contact with the protesting students and offered to hold discussions with a delegation. However, an agreement could not immediately be reached over how the talks would be conducted.
Government reaches out
District administration officials visited the protest site as part of efforts to break the stalemate. Students, however, reportedly differed over whether discussions with the government should be conducted publicly or recorded on camera.
The agitation has also received support from activist Sonam Wangchuk, actor Sonakshi Sinha and NSUI national president Vinod Jakhar.
The protests are centred on demands for greater transparency and accountability in JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations, with students seeking action over alleged irregularities in the examination process.