Bihar: Leaders criticise police lathi charge on protesters; BPSC to probe, take appropriate decision

The protesting students in Patna are demanding the cancellation of the Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on December 13.

On Sunday, Bihar police lathi-charged and used water cannons to disperse the protesting BPSC aspirants in Gandhi Maidan.

Following the incident, Bihar Police registered an FIR against 600-700 individuals, including Jan Suraaj Chief Prashant Kishore, for unauthorised gatherings, instigating people, and creating law and order issues in Gandhi Maidan.

In an official statement, the Patna Administration said, "Jan Suraaj Party was denied permission to organize Chhatra Sansad in front of the Gandhi statue. However, a crowd gathered at the Gandhi statue and created a 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 Kishore on charges of unauthorized gathering of crowd, instigating people and creating law and order problems," Patna Administration added.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav condemned the lathi charge on protesting Bihar BPSC aspirants. In a video statement, the former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister said, "It is very painful how BPSC aspirants were beaten up by the police. Many people are badly injured in this... We condemn this. The visuals that have surfaced are painful. I am a youth, and I can understand their situation. Firstly, people were protesting against normalisation..."

He highlighted that the RJD raised the issue in the Vidhan Sabha and brought the matter to the attention of the Bihar government. He added, "We raised this issue in the Vidhan Sabha too on November 28. We wrote a letter to the CM but didn't get any answer... Later on, BPSC clarified that normalisation should not have happened. Why didn't they clear this earlier?..."

"On 15-16 December, BPSC announced the cancellation of the exam at one centre. If the paper had been leaked, then why is the exam being cancelled only at one centre? It is a kind of normalisation... That's why students are protesting for a re-examination. I also support this," the RJD leader said.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, a key supporter of the NDA government, on Monday, urged Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for immediate intervention in the ongoing BPSC candidates' protest.

In a post on X, Chirag Pawan wrote "Being a key supporter of the NDA government on the issues of the youth and BPSC candidates of Bihar, I have appealed to the Bihar government and the Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar ji for immediate intervention, as a result of which the Chief Secretary (who is the highest official of the government) on behalf of the government has started the process of dialogue with the candidates and students. Soon the fruitful results of this initiative will be seen. This is the result of our government's positive thinking and sensitivity towards the students."

Paswan praised the state government's efforts to initiate dialogue with the students, stressing that the issue should be resolved peacefully and without political interference.

In his X post, he further condemned the lathi charge and use of water cannons by Bihar Police on Sunday to disperse protesting students in Patna. He called for restraint from the police and emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution to the students' demands.

Additionally, Paswan urged legal action against any officers responsible for excessive force.

"I have never been a supporter of the lathi charge and the use of water cannons on students in Patna yesterday. The police should exercise restraint. If students have come out on the streets with their demands, efforts should be made to solve their problems by explaining them in a peaceful manner, and not by using lathi-charge and water cannons. I have also told the Chief Minister that legal action should also be taken against those police officers who are found involved in such activities," he added in the post.

Meanwhile, Bihar Education Minister Sunil Kumar on Monday said that the BPSC will probe the complaints raised by the aspirants over the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), 2024.

Speaking to media persons, Kumar said, "They can say what they want; it is their right, but the Commission will probe this and will take an appropriate decision..."

Earlier in the day, Prashant Kishore gave a 48-hour deadline to the Nitish Kumar government to find a solution to the protesting students' demands over the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), 2024.

The Jan Suraaj Chief vowed to take legal action against the officials who did a lathi charge on students.

"We have decided to give the government 48 hours...I would request all the leaders who want to lead the protest to come forward and stand with the students...I was standing with the students, and till I was there, no lathi charge was done... Whoever official is involved in the lathi charge, we will take legal action against them," Prashant Kishore said.

He further thanked the Bihar Chief Secretary for taking out time to meet him.

"We met Bihar Chief Secretary; we thank him for taking out time and meet us and the students, but he didn't make any decision. Maybe he needs to ponder...or maybe he needs clearance from the CM...we have put forward our matter...we have decided to give the govt 48 hours, 2 days...today CM is not in Patna...he will be back tonight...if the govt wants, within 48 hours, it can come up with a solution...if the CM invites us, we and all these students will meet him...but if there is no action within 48 hours...whatever decision the students will make regarding the protest, it will be valid," Kishore added.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has condemned the recent lathi charge on peaceful student protesters, accusing BJP governments of using force to suppress dissent on Monday.

In a post on the social media platform X, Kejriwal highlighted the incident as an attack on democracy and criticised the government's response to student voices. He stated, "BJP governments want to suppress every voice of protest with the help of sticks. Lathicharge on peacefully protesting students is a direct attack against democracy."

"Students are the future of the country; listen to their voice instead of suppressing it. Lathi's charge on the protesters shows the weakness and insensitivity of those in power. The country will never forgive such injustice to the youth. We stand with all these students," the post added.

Earlier today, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed her displeasure over the "inhumane" treatment of student protestors in Bihar who have been demanding the cancellation of the Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).

She said that the double-engine government of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has become a symbol of double "atrocities" on youth. Gandhi lashed out at the Bihar government over lathi charges against students by the police and the use of water cannons against them during the cold weather. She said that instead of curbing corruption, it was the students whose voices were being suppressed.

"Students were oppressed for the second time in three days in Bihar. It is the government's job to stop corruption, rigging and paper leaks in examinations. But instead of stopping corruption, students are being prevented from raising their voices," the post added.

"Water cannons and lathi-charges on youth in this harsh cold are inhumane. BJP's double engine has become a symbol of double atrocities on the youth," Gandhi, who is Congress MP from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, posted on X. (ANI)