Soren accuses BJP of funding Jharkhand campaign with money from exam paper leaks

As student protests in Prayagraj over examination processes continue into a fifth day, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has accused the BJP of using funds from examination paper leaks in BJP-governed states to bankroll its campaign for the upcoming Jharkhand elections.

Despite the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) announcing changes, including postponing the review officer (RO) and assistant review officer (ARO) exams and committing to hold the Provincial Civil Services (PCS) preliminary exam 2024 on a single day using the old format, discontent among students has remained unabated.

Protesters have voiced concerns over exam irregularities and procedural shifts, pressing the government for more transparency and fairness in recruitment processes.

He alleged that the party is leveraging profits from these leaks to support lavish election expenditures and manipulate political outcomes.

“The pomp and show you see from BJP in Jharkhand elections is all due to the money from paper leaks. The ED, CBI, and NIA, which now investigate even chicken theft cases, have not touched paper leaks because it is the BJP that leaks these and uses the funds to buy MLAs and MPs post-elections,” said Soren.

Soren’s comments highlight a broader criticism of alleged malpractice in recruitment exams across BJP-led states.

He contended that funds generated through such leaks are fueling the BJP’s political activities, further intensifying scrutiny on both state and central handling of these examination controversies.

He alleged that the party is leveraging profits from these leaks to support lavish election expenditures and manipulate political outcomes.

Soren also criticized central investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and National Investigation Agency (NIA), asserting that these agencies prioritize trivial cases — even "chicken theft" — over serious allegations, such as widespread exam paper leaks in BJP-governed states like Uttar Pradesh.

Soren further pointed to the Madhya Pradesh Vyapam scam, a significant recruitment scandal that reportedly led to multiple deaths, as evidence of the BJP’s involvement in major examination irregularities.

In Jharkhand, he highlighted, his administration had introduced strict legislation to prevent similar misconduct. However, he alleged that the BJP opposed these reforms, even appealing to the governor to label the new law a "black law."