The row over the alleged Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) question paper leak seemed to be heading for an impasse after the students’ protests intensified in Patna on Sunday.
The students took to the streets and started the march towards Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s residence. They also held massive protest at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, demanding a re-exam to be held for the 70th BPSC prelims after alleged irregularities came to the fore.
During the march towards CM House, the students broke the barricading at JP Golambar near Gandhi Maidan. The police, however, resorted to mild-lathi charge and water cannons to disperse the protestors. An FIR has also been logged against poll strategist Prashant Kishor and 619 other people in the case.
#WATCH | Bihar | Police use lathi charge to disperse the BPSC aspirants protesting in Patna, demanding a re-exam to be held for the 70th BPSC prelims pic.twitter.com/v9bhJYUptI
— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2024
#WATCH | Bihar | Police use mild-lathi charge and water cannon to disperse the BPSC aspirants protesting in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, demanding a re-exam to be held for the 70th BPSC prelims pic.twitter.com/qA2enS4Llq
— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2024
While the security has been beefed up to deal with any anarchic situation, the students have been resolute to encircle the CM house. This led to minor scuffles between students and police. The aspirants have been staging protests in Gardanibagh for several days, expressing their grievances on the matter.
While the security was beefed up to deal with the anarchic situation, the students were resolute to encircle the CM house. This led to minor scuffles between students and police.
BPSC aspirants said that they don’t want politics and only demand re-exam. “We don’t want to be the victim of their (political leaders) politics…We have only one demand, we want re-examination…An attempt is being made to divert the issue…We don’t want politics in this issue, we only want re-exam…”
#WATCH | Bihar | BPSC aspirants say, “We don’t want to be the victim of their (political leaders) politics…We have only one demand, we want re-examination…An attempt is being made to divert the issue…We don’t want politics in this issue, we only want re-exam…” https://t.co/8PDYPgFvC1 pic.twitter.com/9ryxH1suqM
— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2024
The police said that the they are ready to listen to the students. SP City Sweety Sahrawat said to ANI, “We requested the students protesting to vacate the place but they didn’t listen to us…We also said that they can put forward their demands, we are ready to listen to them…They also pushed us after which we used water cannon on them…”
The Patna administration said, “Jan Suraaj Party was denied permission to organise Chhatra Sansad in front of the Gandhi statue. However, a crowd gathered at the Gandhi statue and created law and order problem. A scuffle broke out between the crowd and Police. The crowd broke the loudspeakers installed by the administration. Despite repeated requests, these people violated the guidelines of the administration and disrupted public order. Therefore, the administration removed them by using water cannons and force. An FIR has been registered in Gandhi Maidan police station against 600-700 people including Jan Suraaj Chief Prashant Kishor on charges of unauthorized gathering of crowd, instigating people and creating law and order problems.”
Prashant Kishor Joins Protest, Urges Justice
Political strategist and Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor on Sunday joined the students and said that a five-member student delegation would meet the Bihar Government Secretary over the ongoing issue.
He appealed to protestors to halt the agitation for now and said that if the protestors are not satisfied with the government’s response, tomorrow morning a decision will be made on the further protest.
#WATCH | Bihar | BPSC protest | Jan Suraaj Chief Prashant Kishor says, “The government officials present here have assured us that the government has agreed to discuss the demands of the students and the five-member students’ committee will go and talk to the Chief Secretary… pic.twitter.com/hW8PxEJRVK
— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2024
“The government officials present here have assured us that the government has agreed to discuss the demands of the students and the five-member students’ committee will go and talk to the Chief Secretary right now so that some decision can be taken on the problems and demands of the students… If after talking to the Secretary, the students or the student organization of BPSC candidates are not satisfied, then tomorrow morning a decision will be made on the further protest…I would request the students not to do anything right now that is not legal… If the decision is not in favour of the students, if any injustice is done to the students, then we will stand with them with full strength…I am with the students…” he said as quoted by ANI.
Earlier today, he had called a urging the students to assemble near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Gandhi Maidan in Patna for a ‘Chatra Sansad’ (students’ congregation). However, the authorities denied permission for the event.
RJD, Congress Slam Nitish Government
On BPSC protest, RJD leader Sanjay Yadav said, “We have been with the BPSC students from the beginning. Our leaders have been there. It was the intervention of our leader Tejashwi Yadav that put the normalization process on one side. Lathi charge was done and even the DM raised his hand on the students…The demands they have made are for the future of this country, and state. The government should undoubtedly listen to their demands….”
#WATCH | Patna | On BPSC protest, RJD leader Sanjay Yadav says, “We have been with the BPSC students from the beginning. Our leaders have been there. It was the intervention of our leader Tejashwi Yadav that put the normalization process on one side. Lathi charge was done and… pic.twitter.com/Y0w2vPQijc
— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2024
The Congress also hit out at the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government over the lathi-charge of the students. It shared a video of the cops thrashing the students and said, “First, the Bihar government used water cannons on the youth in the intense cold and then used lathicharge mercilessly. The police did not spare anyone… they just kept raining blows with batons. Unemployed youth in Bihar have been protesting against the rigging in BPSC exams for several days, but the government is not ready to listen to them. The government should leave its ego aside and talk to the youth and accept their demands,”
ये वीडियो देखिए…
पहले बिहार सरकार ने भीषण ठंड में युवाओं पर वॉटर कैनन चलवाया, फिर बेरहमी से लाठी चलवाई।
पुलिस ने किसी को भी नहीं बख़्शा.. बस ताबड़तोड़ तरीके से लाठियां बरसाती रही।
बिहार में बेरोजगार युवा BPSC परीक्षा में धांधली के खिलाफ कई दिन से प्रदर्शन कर रहे हैं, लेकिन… pic.twitter.com/dEV6oCvccB
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 29, 2024
BPSC Chairman Rules Out Cancellation Of Exam
Unfazed by mounting pressure, the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on Friday made it clear that the 70th Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 held on December 13 across the state will not be cancelled over allegations of question paper leak.
However, the commission confirmed that the BPSC would conduct a re-examination for candidates who appeared at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar examination center on December 13. The re-examination is scheduled for January 4, 2025.
