BPSC protest: Prashant Kishor begins fast unto death demanding exam cancellations
Patna : Prashant Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraaj party, declared on Thursday in Patna that he would commence a hunger strike to advocate for the demands of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants who are protesting for the annulment of the preliminary examination conducted last month and for a new examination to be held.
Kishor, who has recently aligned himself with the protesters, has also raised allegations of corruption related to government employment in the state. He stated on Monday that he had discovered “thousands of crores of rupees having changed hands” concerning the recruitment process for the vacant positions filled through the BPSC examination.
During a press conference in Patna on Thursday, he articulated, “My demands encompass the cancellation of the exam and the organization of new tests. I also call for action against corrupt officials.”
On Monday, Kishor issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to address the issue, warning that the protests would escalate if no resolution was reached. “Currently, the future of our young students must take precedence. We can engage in political maneuvering later,” he remarked.
Earlier that day, he questioned why Nitish Kumar remained “silent” while “candidates are protesting in frigid conditions, enduring police lathi charges and water cannons. The Chief Minister is in Delhi, enjoying himself, and has not responded to inquiries from reporters regarding the protests.”
On the same day, a group of protesters met with Bihar Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, but they reported receiving no definitive assurances or timelines regarding their demands. The day prior, law enforcement had employed water cannons and lathi charges to disperse protesters attempting to breach barricades intended to prevent them from approaching the Chief Minister’s residence.
Numerous candidates who participated in the BPSC preliminary examination, held on December 13 at 912 locations throughout Bihar, have been demonstrating in Patna since December 18. They are demanding the cancellation of the exam, claiming that CCTV cameras and jammers were non-operational at various examination centres and that question papers were distributed late at certain sites. To date, the BPSC has consented to reschedule the exam solely for those who sat for it at one centre in Patna, where an examination official suffered a heart attack during the disturbances. (With PTI inputs).
