Bihar: Pappu Yadav joins student protesters, stages hunger strike

Bihar: Pappu Yadav joins student protesters, stages hunger strike Devendra Nath Mahto, a prominent student leader from Jharkhand, joined a group of protesters in Ranchi on August 10, during a demonstration aimed at pressuring the state government over allegations of irregularities in public service commission examinations. During the rally, Mahto was carried through the crowd by supporters, holding a framed photograph of former Chief Minister Shibu Soren and raising his arms toward the protesters. The event took place as thousands gathered to gherao the State Assembly, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing agitation. Mahto, 33, has been on an indefinite hunger strike since August 2, and was hospitalized following the August 10 march, entering his 15th day of fasting on August 9, 2026. The current protest began shortly after the release of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) preliminary and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examination results on July 2. Mahto, representing the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM), organized a press conference on July 5 to question the examination process and submitted a list of demands to the governor two days later. Protests escalated on July 8, when demonstrators burned an effigy of the JPSC chairman at Albert Ekka Chowk. After a meeting with Chief Minister Hemant Soren on July 20 yielded minimal progress, Mahto called for an indefinite sit-in at Bapu Vatika in Morabadi on July 25, later relocating the protest to Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. Despite multiple rounds of discussions with the government, which led to the cancellation of the JPSC preliminary exams and the backlog of exams from 2023–25, Mahto insists the protest will continue until all exams conducted by the TDPL, a private exam-conducting agency, are canceled and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe is recommended. The movement has gained momentum, with at least six other students joining the hunger strike, maintaining pressure on the authorities. During the protest, some students set up an independent stage to separate themselves from political influence, emphasizing that the movement should focus solely on educational and employment-related concerns. Mahto, however, refused to take part in the stage when political matters were discussed, stating that the platform belonged to students and their issues, not to any political party. His bed was relocated beneath the stage as a symbolic gesture of his commitment to keeping the movement nonpartisan. Born in Rahe village in Ranchi district, Mahto comes from a family of modest means. His father, Vishambar Mahto, was a retired government teacher, and his older brother, Dhaneshwar Mahto, works as a farmer. Mahto received his early education in Bundu, approximately 10 kilometers from his village, before moving to Ranchi for higher studies. He earned a Bachelor of Education degree from Hazaribagh and pursued postgraduate studies in Sanskrit and regional languages at Ranchi University, completing them by 2022. Initially, Mahto had aspirations of becoming a teacher, driven by the desire for a stable government job. His brother noted that Mahto always sought a simple livelihood, prioritizing education as a means to achieve it. This changed during his college years, when he began participating in protests over student scholarships and recruitment policies. Since 2015, Mahto has led around a dozen agitations, focusing on issues such as paper leaks, irregularities in examinations, and systemic injustices. His brother described him as someone who never envisioned a political career, instead advocating for justice and the rights of marginalized communities. Friends and colleagues recall Mahto as a skilled orator, patient, and deeply committed to the cause of students. Chandan Kumar, a long-time friend and fellow student since 2016, praised Mahto’s ability to unite students and amplify their voices. Although Kumar maintains a distance from politics, he supports Mahto’s efforts for the benefit of Jharkhand’s youth. His political leanings are influenced by broader currents within the region, with friends noting that Mahto began engaging with political ideas through readings of B.R. A.