A UPSC aspirant from Patna, Priya Kumari, is on a hunger strike for the last three days. She hasn't taken anything except water and now her condition is deteriorating with every passing hour. Priya Kumari told indiatvnews.com that she cannot feel hunger anymore and she is experiencing stomach pain and headache. However, she is determined to continue her strike until her demand for postponing UPSC Prelims 2020, scheduled on October 4, was not met.
"I am not going to stop. Even if nobody listens to me, I will go for the exam while continuing my strike. I am representing the suppressed students who are scared and lost hope that the government or the UPSC will not take any action. I cannot tolerate this injustice. I may not sound practical but I cannot tolerate this. I was in a well-off engineering job but I quit everything for this so that I can bring some change," Priya told indiatvnews.com.
Priya also said that students of the weaker sections of the society were the most affected due to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown.
"Students who come from upper-middle-class and elite class can afford new books and private vehicles. Every year Bihar is destroyed by flood but this year due to the coronavirus pandemic the condition has worsened. Students, who come from far-off villages how they will travel? It's a record that most selected candidates come from Bihar but this year it's terrible," she added.
"I am motivated. I was worried about how I will manage since I am the kind of person who is hungry all the time (laughs). My parents are also worried but I will not step down. Because I am not doing this just for myself. If I stop now, it will be a setback for my morale. What kind of IPS officer I will be then? Bureaucrats are expected to follow government policies. Being a citizen it's my right to raise my voice and peacefully protest. If I can't help my fellow aspirants now, how will I be able to help the people after becoming IAS/IPS officer? In mains, we give the ethics paper of 250 marks. Is it just for passing paper or we should actually implement this real life? the aspirant said.
As a message to her fellow aspirants, Priya Kumari told indiatvnews.com: "Be empathetic. I know we all are competitors but we need to unite as we in this together. For some students, this will be the last attempt and they are anxious and worried. So many COVID warriors are appearing for this exam, we need to be grateful to them. All are not privileged."
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