As a protest against the alleged paper leak in the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination intensifies in Patna, the students on Sunday started the march towards Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence. While the security has been beefed up to deal with any anarchic situation, the students have been resolute to encircle the CM house. This led to minor scuffles between students and police. Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor appealed to protestors to halt the agitation as the Bihar government Secretary agreed to meet a five-member delegation of the students.
However, the police later used water cannons to disperse the protestors as they refused to leave the protest site despite negotiations. Earlier. during the march towards CM House, the students broke the barricading at JP Golambar near Gandhi Maidan. However, the protesting students were stopped some 100 metres ahead at the next security barricading.
The rally was called by Prashant Kishore, who urged students to assemble near Mahatma Gandhi's statue at Gandhi Maidan in Patna for a 'Chatra Sansad' (students' congregation). However, the authorities denied permission for the event. The police asked the students to vacate Gandhi Maidan, but the students started sloganeering. A large group of Jansuraj Party workers reached Gandhi Maidan with posters and banners. The protesters broke through police barricades and moved closer to the Gandhi statue.
Delegation to meet students today
After negotiations, Kishor said, "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..."
Will start protest again if unsatisfied with negotiations: Kishor
He further said, "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..."
The candidates have been protesting for more than a week seeking the cancellation and re-examination of the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination (CCE), 2024 conducted by the BPSC over allegations of question paper leak. The protesters have been staging a dharna at Gardani Bagh for several days. They contend that cancellation should be ordered across the board since re-examination for just one centre would go against the principle of a "level playing field".
