BPSC exam stir: Patna police resort to lathi-charge, water cannons; students insist on single-stage test
Thousands of students gathered at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Tuesday to press their demands regarding the upcoming Teachers' Recruitment Exams to be conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC). The planned march to the Chief Minister's residence was stopped by police, leading to confrontations on the streets.
The demonstrators, mostly candidates for the exams scheduled next month, have been demanding that the written test be conducted in a single stage instead of a preliminary followed by a main examination. A section of the protesters also called for the cancellation of the Combined Competitive Exams held earlier this year, alleging irregularities in the process.
Left-wing student organisations, including the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), also joined the procession. The march began at the historic Gandhi Maidan, and security personnel were deployed along the nearly five-kilometre route to the Chief Minister's residence.
Police used water cannons at J.P. Golambar, near the starting point of the procession. Some protesters were seen dancing in the water spray, a scene reminiscent of a similar protest march last month towards the Raj Bhavan, which was held in support of the 'Gen Z protests' in Delhi. According to officials, the marchers were not permitted to proceed beyond designated points, and barricades were placed along the route.
A group of protesters, however, managed to break through barricades and reached Dak Bungalow crossing, a busy intersection that leads to Patna Junction, the Patna High Court and the Income Tax Office. Videos circulating on social media show police personnel using batons on protesters at the crossing, while some individuals in the crowd are seen throwing stones. In one video, an officer appears to slap a protester; in another, a female protester is seen collapsing near the roadside. It is not known whether the collapse was due to an injury or heat-related dehydration, as the weather was humid.
The police detained a number of protesters and took them to different locations, though the exact number has not been officially confirmed. No official statement from the police on the day's incidents was available at the time of writing.
The protest also reflected anger over remarks made on Monday by BPSC examination controller Rakesh Kumar Singh. Several protesters alleged that Singh belittled them by quoting a Hindi proverb: “Hathi chale bazaar, kutta bhunke hazaar” (Even as the elephant walks on, a thousand dogs may bark). The protesters demanded that the commission address their grievances and take action against Singh for what they described as an insulting remark. Oppositions leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, criticised Singh's comment. Later, Singh issued a video statement saying he only used a proverb and did not intend to offend anyone.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, a major Left party in Bihar, condemned the police action. In a statement, party state secretary Kunal demanded that the state government stop its “coercive action” and resolve the crisis through talks with students. He also called for medical aid for those injured in the lathi-charge.
