Prashant Kishore Leads BPSC Protest At Gandhi Maidan Amid Clashes With Police

A tense standoff unfolded on Sunday between protesting aspirants and police at Patna's Gandhi Maidan, as students rallied for the cancellation of the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) preliminary exams, citing allegations of paper leaks and irregularities.

The protests came despite a warning from Patna District Magistrate, Chandrasekhar Singh, who had declared that the "Chatra Sansad" (students' assembly), organized by Jan Suraj chief Prashant Kishore, would not be allowed. Authorities also threatened action against coaching institute owners who might be linked to the protest.

Photo Credit: PTI

Clash at Gandhi Maidan

The protesters, mostly students, gathered at the iconic Gandhi Maidan despite official opposition, demanding a re-examination of the BPSC Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024. The exam, held on December 13, has been marred by accusations of a paper leak, prompting widespread dissatisfaction among aspirants. While the students expressed their anger peacefully, minor scuffles broke out between the protesters and police personnel.

Prashant Kishore Leads BPSC Protest

Prashant Kishore, who joined the protest and led the "Chatra Sansad," voiced strong criticism of the Bihar government's handling of the situation, accusing the administration of turning democracy into a "lathi-tantra" (rule by force). Kishore emphasized that students have the right to protest in public spaces and questioned why the government was so intent on stopping the gathering at a public place like Gandhi Maidan.

Government's Response

While the protests gained momentum, Bihar government officials, including Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Gaurav Kumar, engaged with the aspirants to discuss their demands. Kishore confirmed that the government had agreed to a dialogue with the student representatives, with a five-member student committee set to meet with the chief secretary to discuss their grievances. He also urged students to avoid "illegal" actions and wait for the outcomes of these talks.

Kishore assured the protesters that, should their demands not be met or if any injustice occurred, he would continue to support them in their cause. "If the decision is not in favour of the students, I will stand with them fully," he said, rallying support for the students' fight.

Future Protests and Government Stance

Student organizations have called for a "chakka jam" (road blockade) on Monday, December 30, and have garnered support from CPI (M-L) Liberation, an ally of the INDIA bloc. Meanwhile, the BPSC has maintained that it will not conduct retests across the 912 exam centres. The commission has, however, agreed to hold a retest at Patna's Gyan Bhawan centre on January 4, citing no substantial evidence to support the claims of a widespread issue.

As the situation unfolds, both sides seem prepared for a long battle over the 70th BPSC exam, with student protests likely to intensify unless their demands for transparency and justice are met.