Patna: The BPSC exam row in Bihar escalated on Friday with Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishore continuing is fast unto death, demanding the test’s cancellation as he took potshots at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who he said is only interested in staying in power.
Kishor has been on a fast unto death since Thursday, demanding the cancellation of the 70th Combined Competitive Examination held by the BPSC on December 13. Speaking to ANI on the second day of his sit-in, he said the protest will continue and he is sitting in support of the students who thrashed by the police.
“f you beat someone, and I am sitting here in support of them – and then you call it politics, then I am doing the politics. Nitish Kumar doesn’t want to work, he wants to be in power only and that’s the reason he didn’t help the people of Bihar during Covid times. He is not worried about other things but just about being in power,” he said.
#WATCH | Patna | BPSC protest | Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor says, “This protest will continue. I have been working in Bihar for the last two and a half years, if I don’t do politics, what will I do? If you beat someone, and I am sitting here in support of them – and then you… pic.twitter.com/uBoSfda1Wg
— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2025
Pappu Yadav joins BPSC protests
Meanwhile, MP Pappu Yadav also joined the stir as he and his supporters held a rail roko protest at the Sachiwalay Station in Patna to press their demand of cancelling the recently-held Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam following claims that the question paper was leaked.
Yadav’s supporters were dispersed from the tracks by the police with a lathicharge. Agitated by the police action, Yadav has threatened to hold a “chakka jam” (traffic blockade) in the state.
What is the BPSC paper leak controversy?
Civil service aspirants in Bihar have been staging a continuous sit-in for nearly two weeks at the Gardani Bagh in Patna after the December 13 exam for which around 5 lakh candidates had appeared while hundreds of them boycotted alleging that the question paper was leaked.
The BPSC dismissed the allegation as a conspiracy but has ordered a fresh examination for over 10,000 candidates who took the test at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre.
These candidates have been instructed to retake the exam on January 4 at 22 newly designated centres across the city.
