Patna: Clashes erupted between police and Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants on Sunday night at Patna's Gandhi Maidan. A case has been filed against poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor and around 600 other unknown protesters, including leaders of Kishor's Jan Suraaj party. Kishor and others, who were booked, were reportedly accused of creating law and order problem by gathering and instigating people, reported NDTV.
As per the police, the Jan Suraaj Party had not taken a permission to held a protest march and gathered crowd near Patna's Gandhi Maidan and later later it turned violent leading to clashes.
"Despite repeated requests by the administration, these people violated the guidelines of the administration and disrupted public order," the police said as quoted by NDTV.
Clashes Between Students and Bihar Police:
The police lathi-charged and used water cannon to disperse the protesting BPSC aspirants. Notably, the protesters claimed irregularities in the 70th Combined Competitive Preliminary Examination and were demanding a re-examination to be held for the 70th BPSC prelims.
SP City Sweety Sahrawat said that the students pushed the police after which they used water cannon on them.
"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, and we are ready to listen to them...They also pushed us after which we used water cannon on them," she said as reported by ANI.
The BPSC has announced a re-test for 12,000 affected candidates at one centre, but aspirants are demanding a complete reexamination. As the protest escalated, demonstrators breached two police barricades near JP roundabout and clashed with security personnel. Police responded with a baton charge and water cannons to disperse the crowd, leading to chaotic scenes in the state capital.
One of the aspirants said that they won't to be the victim of politics and an attempt is being made to divert the issue. "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," he told the news agency.
Meanwhile, Jan Suraaj Chief Prashant Kishor said that his party would stand with students if any injustice is done to them. "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.
Earlier, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav criticised the Bihar government over the ongoing protests by BPSC aspirants.
