AJSU activists observe hunger strike demanding special status for Jharkhand

Jamshedpur : The All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU ) today observed a day-long hunger strike in all the block headquarters demanding the special status tag for Jharkhand.

This was the second such agitation in the last fortnight. Earlier, on August 30 party members had staged a similar demonstration at all the district headquarters across the state in suport of their demand.
The fast was observed in all the 260 blocks across the state. Memorandums addressed to the President of India highlighting their demands were submitted at the block offices.

Peeved at the Centre for not considering Jharkhand to accord special status along with Bihar, the party announced a series of programmes to drum up public support demanding a special economic package for the state.

Party secretary and spokesperson Dev Sharan Bhagat said that as a part of the agitation on October 2 ( Gandhi Jayanti) the party will form a long human chain stretching 330 Kms, covering the the stretch of National Highway-33 between Barhi in Hazaribagh and Baharagora in East Singhbhum. About four lakh people will participate in the human chain between 11 am to 3 pm.

“The human chain would symbolise the fact that the demand for special status is not just a political agenda, but a people’s movement. Jharkhand meets all the eight yardsticks under Gadgil Formula for being considered for the special status. The party has struggled for the fomation of a separate state. Not, we will take our fight for special status for Jharkhand to a logical conclusion,” said Bhagat.

Following the human chain to grab national attention, the party will also hold a rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on the occasion of the 14th statehood day of Jharkhand on November 15.