A day after protesting students were lathicharged by the police, demanding a re-examination of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) prelims, the candidates met the state’s Chief Secretary, Amrit Lal Meena, on Monday.
However, they said they did not receive any concrete assurance or a timeline to address their demands, which include the withdrawal of FIRs filed against over a dozen students.
Prashant Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, has supported the students' demands and led a procession on Sunday.
He faced criticism after RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav accused him of “running away” from the protest site during the police’s lathi-charge and use of water cannons. JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar also called Kishor a “political fugitive.”
On Monday, Kishor gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the state government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, demanding the issue be resolved or the students would intensify their protests.
He emphasised, “The future of our young students should be the top priority. Politics can wait.”
Before the meeting, Kishor alleged that there was corruption in the BPSC exam process, claiming “thousands of crores of rupees” had been exchanged to fill vacant posts.
Also Read: Prashant Kishor faces backlash from lathicharged students
He also questioned why CM Nitish Kumar remained silent while students protested in the cold, facing police brutality, as the CM was in Delhi.
Kishor stated, “We will wait until January 1 for a positive response from the government. If nothing is done, students will resume protests, including road blockages, which the government will not want.”
The protests began on December 18, with hundreds of candidates calling for a re-examination of the BPSC preliminary test held on December 13. The test was canceled at a Patna center due to delays in distributing question papers.
The students are demanding a re-exam across all 912 centers.
A student leader, who was part of the meeting with the Chief Secretary, said, “The chief secretary listened to our demands but did not give any firm assurance. We want equal treatment for all students and the withdrawal of FIRs against those allegedly involved in a ruckus at the Patna center.”
Also Read: BPSC exam row: JNUSU seeks Bihar CM's resignation
The meeting was arranged by R.K. Mishra, leader of the Jan Suraaj Party and former IPS officer.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the BJP, accusing them of being responsible for paper leak scams that are damaging the future of the youth.
He condemned the lathi-charge and use of water cannons against the students, calling it an attempt to suppress them.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary, also slammed the Bihar government, calling it a symbol of “double atrocities” on youth.
She stated, “It is inhuman to spray water and lathi-charge youth in this harsh cold. The government should stop corruption, rigging, and paper leaks, but instead, they are silencing students.”
The future of over 3.28 lakh youth who took the BPSC exam is uncertain, and the protests show no sign of ending until the government responds to the students’ demands.
Also Read: Nitish Kumar's cruelty to students: BPSC uproar explained
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