Villagers block Devendra Nath Mahto's recruitment reform rally in Nemra

Villagers gathered in the ancestral home of the Soren family, declaring that any attempt by Mahto to enter the village would be met with force. Protesters argued that local customs mandate notifying the village head, or Manjhi-Haram, before any political activity takes place. Local resident Parmeshwar emphasized that their primary allegiance lies with their community leader rather than the state office, warning that they would not tolerate the planned public insult to the Chief Minister.

Despite the standoff, Mahto proceeded with the launch of his second phase of the JPSC-JSSC Corruption-Free Recruitment Campaign at Lukaiya Tand. Rather than escalating the conflict at the village center, he and his supporters garlanded the statue of former Chief Minister Shibu Soren and performed traditional rituals. Mahto, who intends to visit 24 districts across Jharkhand, frames his movement as a fight for transparent examination standards and the rights of the state's youth. The campaign seeks to overhaul the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission, with the yatra scheduled to traverse regions including Hazaribagh, Dhanbad, and Ranchi.