Patna: The agitation by aspirants of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) 70th Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) prelims, demanding cancellation and a re-examination, has gained momentum, spreading beyond Patna. Political parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and left-wing organisations like the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI-ML), joined the protests alongside student groups such as AISA, RYA and SFI.
A delegation of 10 BPSC aspirants met chief secretary Amrit Lal Meena on Monday to discuss their concerns. After the meeting, the candidates described the discussion as having taken place in a “constructive and positive atmosphere”. They said Meena listened attentively to their grievances and assured them that the govt has been actively considering their demands and will take a decision soon.
Meanwhile, the demonstrators disrupted railway services in Ara and Darbhanga, chanting slogans against the state govt and demanding justice. Protesters halted the Bihar Sampark Kranti train in Darbhanga for an hour and detained the Buxar-Patna passenger train in Ara. They even climbed locomotive engines, leading to police intervention to disperse the crowd and resume train operations.
Protests against the police lathicharge on students in Patna on Sunday spilled over to Ara, Begusarai, Bettiah, Buxar, Samastipur, Saran and Siwan. Protesters staged roadblocks, causing disruption to vehicular traffic.
CPI-ML leader Surendra Prasad Singh, who blocked the Samastipur-Patna road, criticised the govt. “The Nitish govt is out of control. Officers have become dominant and students protesting peacefully were lathicharged. This will not be tolerated at any cost,” he said.
In Bettiah, AISA demonstrators blocked the road near the Collectorate gate for 30 minutes, raising slogans against the government. Heavy police deployment under the leadership of Sadar SDPO Vivek Deep was witnessed with magistrates and police officers on high alert at key intersections.
In Ara, thousands of CPI(ML) members, along with AISA and RYA activists, led by Agiyaon MLA Shiv Prakash Ranjan, marched from HPD Jain College to the railway station. They stopped a Buxar-bound passenger train (03376) from 9.30am to 10am. “We demand Rs 5 crore compensation for the family of Sonu Kumar, who allegedly died by suicide due to exam pressure. We also seek the dismantling of the paper leak and exam mafia network in Bihar,” AISA district president Sushil Yadav said.
Similar protests were witnessed in Chhapra where AISA and SFI blocked major traffic points like Thana Roundabout and Daroga Rai Chowk. AISA district secretary Dipankar Kumar said, “The ‘chakka jam’ was organised as per the state unit’s call. We demand the cancellation and reorganisation of the 70th BPSC prelims due to widespread question paper leaks. We also condemn the police lathicharge on students in Patna.” Secretary of SFI’s district unit, Devendra Kumar, also criticised the govt. “This double-engine govt led by Nitish Kumar is responsible for these incidents. Their failure to address the concerns of aspirants is evident,” he said.
In Patna, BPSC candidates continued their demonstration for the 13th consecutive day at the Gardanibagh protest site.
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Monday claimed to have learnt that “thousands of crores of rupees have changed hands” for posts to be filled up by the BPSC exam. Kishor, against whom an FIR was lodged on Sunday on charges of inciting protesters, expressed dismay over refusal of Nitish to “utter a single word” on the stir which has been going on for nearly two weeks.
“The candidates are protesting in biting cold, braving baton charge by police and water cannons. The CM is away in Delhi, and having a good time. He did not utter a single word when reporters in the national capital approached him with queries on the stir,” Kishor told reporters here.
Recalling the previous day’s demonstration which was addressed by him, Kishor said till about 4pm, he kept telling the candidates to look forward to a statement from the chief minister who might take a stand that could break the stalemate. “But he kept mum,” Kishor claimed.