Protesting BPSC aspirants continue push for re-examination amid allegations of political ‘intrusion’
Protests flare up across the state as student organisations & political party workers disrupt road, rail travel. A delegation of aspirants met Bihar chief secretary Monday.
New Delhi: Protests by Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants continue as they demand the cancellation of this year’s preliminary test of the Bihar Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) held earlier this month due to alleged irregularities.
“We have placed our demand for a re-exam in front of the Chief Secretary. He said that appropriate action will be taken. Our protest will continue until the re-examination is announced,” said Shubham Snehil, one of the candidates. “The students are enraged. If they don’t meet our demands, they will keep protesting until the commission complies.”
The aspirants have been protesting in Patna’s Gardanibagh for nearly two weeks. The row has also triggered political interest with a few leaders coming forward to show their support for the students. However, some students have alleged that political parties are trying to hijack their protest.
“Now everyone knows that the exam will likely get cancelled, and all the political parties want to take credit,” said Ashutosh Kumar, an aspirant.
Workers from the Left parties and Rashtriya Janata Dal stopped trains in Arrah and Darbhanga, with members of student organisations climbing atop the train engines and raising slogans against the government. The demonstration disrupted rail operations for one hour in Darbhanga and ten minutes in Arrah, after which the police removed the protesters.
Student organisations, like All India Students Association (AISA) and Inquilabi Naujawan Sabha (RYA), also demonstrated by blocking roads in Arrah, Bettiah, Siwan, Begusarai, Buxar and Samastipur.
Protest ‘hijacked’
On Sunday, protesters marching to the chief minister’s residence were lathicharged. A “student parliament” was held in Gandhi Maidan the same day. Following Sunday’s protests, an FIR was registered against Jan Suraaj Party leaders Prashant Kishor and Manoj Bharti, former Indian Police Service officer Anand Mishra, coaching operator Rahmanshu Mishra, and 21 other named individuals, along with 600 unidentified people.
Kishor also visited Gardanibagh to meet the BPSC candidates late Sunday night. In a video being circulated on social media, Kishor can be heard saying, “You ask for blankets from us, and you are doing politics with us.” The comment angered the candidates, who responded by saying, “You go away from here. Why have you come after getting beaten up?”
Some students also pointed out that not everyone present at the protest site was an aspirant. “Prashant Kishor asked the students for their admit cards, as many political leaders have joined the protest, who are not BPSC students. Kishor also got angry and said things in frustration, but he is the one who wrote to the Chief Secretary,” said Ashutosh.
Kishor had said Saturday, “If the police lathicharge, I will be the first to face the lathi.” However, he left before the police lathicharged protesters Sunday as the candidates raised slogans of “PK go back” and a heated exchange ensued between Kishor and the protesting candidates.
On Monday, Kishor held a press conference to clarify his stance. He said, “We will also file an FIR against Patna Police. We will also take them to court. Human Rights will also intervene against the police. There are some officers in Patna Police, who are fond of becoming heroes.”
He added, “If this matter is not resolved by 2 January, I will continue to sit on dharna. Whatever the children say will not make any difference to me. I have not felt bad about anything.”
The police also detained 12 candidates, including coaching operator Rahmanshu. Meanwhile, a candidate’s health deteriorated, prompting the police to admit them to the hospital immediately.
Independent Lok Sabha MP Pappu Yadav also met the protesters injured in the lathicharge Sunday night at the hospital, and warned them against associating with Kishor, saying, “How many times have I explained that we should not do politics?”
He told the students, “I had forbidden you and messaged you not to engage. Kishor will end the movement. If you fight a long battle, you will win. If you shorten the fight, you will lose. You should not have left Gardanibagh.”
Despite protesting for about two weeks and facing multiple rounds of lathicharge, the students remain hopeful that the BPSC will announce the cancellation of the exam soon.
“They have asked for 24 hours to decide, and tomorrow they will announce their decision. We are hopeful that there will be a re-exam and new dates will be announced,” said Shubham.
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