Bihar Public Service Commission Re-Exam Demand Protest: Prashant Kishor, 619 Others Booked For Provoking BPSC

In the midst of growing tensions over the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam protests, Patna Police have charged 21 named individuals and 600 unnamed ones. This includes Jan Suraj Party leader Prashant Kishor and the state chief. The charges relate to inciting students and causing unrest.

The protestors have been demanding the cancellation and re-examination of the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), 2024. They allege a question paper leak and have been staging a sit-in at Gardani Bagh for several days. They argue that a re-exam should be held for all centres to ensure fairness.

Protest Escalation and Police Response

On December 28, 2024, at 5:30 PM, the Jan Suraj Party's request to hold a Student Parliament near Gandhi Statue was denied by Patna District Administration. Despite this, on December 29, they gathered without permission, leading a procession to JP Golambar. This resulted in roadblocks, damaged loudspeakers, and clashes with officials.

As tensions rose, protestors attempted to march towards Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence. A minor scuffle occurred when students broke through barricades. Authorities later announced that Bihar's chief secretary would meet with a five-member student delegation to discuss their demands.

Statements from Key Figures

Following this announcement, Prashant Kishor urged students to pause their protest until negotiations took place. He stated, "The government officials present here have assured us that the government has agreed to discuss the demands of the students... I am with the students..." However, many students continued their protest.

One aspirant expressed frustration: "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."

Police Actions During Protests

The police resorted to using water cannons to disperse protestors and employed a minor lathi charge. Patna Central SP Sweety Sahrawat clarified there was no lathi charge initially. She said candidates were repeatedly asked to leave but remained adamant. Eventually, water cannons were used as a last resort.

An FIR was filed at Gandhi Maidan Police Station against several individuals including Manoj Bharti (President Jan Suraj Party), Rahmanshu Mishra (Coaching Director), Nikhil Mani Tiwari, Subhash Kumar Thakur, Shubham Snehil, Prashant Kishore along with two bouncers accompanying him.

The situation remains tense as authorities continue efforts to address student grievances while maintaining law and order in Patna amidst ongoing protests over examination issues.