Ranchi, September 21: BJP State President Babulal Marandi has slammed the two-day internet ban imposed by the Hemant Soren government during the JSSC CGL exam, calling the decision a “Tughlaqi decree”.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Marandi termed the move impractical and ridiculous, adding that it has caused severe inconvenience, particularly to candidates from other states who have come to appear for the exam.
Marandi expressed his concerns, stating, “The internet has become an integral part of our daily routine, from children’s education to banking, from government offices to village centers. Shutting down the internet has disrupted everyday life and could destabilize the state’s economy.”
He further criticized the government’s sudden decision to impose the internet ban without prior notice, stating that it had brought regular activities to a halt. “The livelihoods of people are being affected, and this decision is absurd. If the government cannot conduct a fair exam, why not just impose a curfew and stop people from leaving their homes?” Marandi remarked sarcastically.
Babulal Marandi concluded by urging Hemant Soren to withdraw the “illogical and unconstitutional decision” of shutting down the internet, implemented under the pretext of preventing the JSSC CGL exam paper leak.
HC refuses to stay internet suspension
Meanwhile, the High Court on Saturday refused to stay the government order to suspend mobile internet in the state as a preventive measure against cheating in the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination.
Hearing a PIL against the shutdown during the CGL test on September 21 and September 22, the court of Justice Anand Sen and Justice Anubha Rawat Chaudhary asked the state government to submit a detailed reply in the matter within four weeks. It also sought clarity on whether internet shutdowns will become a regular occurrence during exams and wants to know the government’s policy on this matter.
On Saturday, Advocate Rajendra Krishna requested the high court’s intervention over the internet shutdown decision. In a letter to Acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad, Adv Krishna demanded the constitution of a special bench. Following this, the court converted the letter into a PIL and asked for a bench to be constituted to hear the case.
