Bihar Students Clash With Police During BPSC Protest; Barricades Broken, Water Cannons Used
Patna: Tensions escalated in Patna as protesting students broke through police barricades while marching towards the Bihar Chief Minister’s residence over demands related to government recruitment examinations.
A large group of BPSC aspirants and other students began their pre-announced march from Gandhi Maidan and moved towards the Dak Bungalow crossing. Police detained several protesters as the crowd approached the heavily barricaded area.
The situation became tense when some students pushed past the barricades and clashed with police personnel. Authorities responded by using water cannons to disperse the crowd. Police also alleged that some protesters threw stones during the confrontation.
Despite the tense scenes, several students were seen carrying the national flag as they continued their march. Heavy security was deployed across key intersections in Patna, with additional CRPF and RAF personnel brought in to assist local police.
The students have been protesting for weeks in Patna’s Gardanibagh area. Their demands include a single-stage examination for BPSC-TRE 4, greater transparency in recruitment, Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) recruitment exams and fair opportunities for Hindi-medium candidates.
The protesters have also demanded the cancellation of the 70th BPSC examination, citing alleged irregularities.
Police officials said they had been in talks with the protesters and claimed that several of their demands had already been addressed. However, officers maintained that the march towards the Chief Minister’s residence would not be allowed.
Congress leader Sushil Kumar, speaking at the protest site, backed the students’ demands and called for the government to engage directly with their representatives. He also demanded a single-stage TRE 4.0 examination and the removal of negative marking, along with action on concerns involving BPSC, BSSC and Sub-Inspector recruitment.
The political row has intensified as Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav wrote to Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, urging him to meet the protesters and find an immediate solution through dialogue.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal has backed the student movement, while several student and youth organisations have also extended their support.
Amid the protests, the Bihar government announced a new initiative called ‘Vidyarthi Sahyog Shivir’, or student support camps. According to the Chief Minister, the camps will be held at educational institutions on the fourth Tuesday of every month, allowing students to directly raise their grievances with government officials.
Students will also be able to submit complaints online and track their status through a dedicated portal and helpline 1100.
Meanwhile, controversy has erupted over a remark attributed to BPSC Examination Controller Rajesh Kumar while responding to allegations surrounding examination irregularities and paper leaks. His comment, “Haathi chale bazaar, kutta bhaunke hazaar,” drew sharp criticism from protesters and political leaders.
Tejashwi Yadav demanded the officer’s removal and an apology, arguing that officials must be held accountable when students raise serious concerns about recruitment examinations.
With protests continuing and political parties weighing in, pressure is mounting on the Bihar government to address the students’ concerns through dialogue and provide clarity on the recruitment examination process.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
