Purnia: Protests surrounding the cancelled 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) preliminary test (PT) and the subsequent announcement of a re-examination have escalated, with a Bihar Bandh (statewide strike) called for January 3.
The demonstrations, ongoing since December 13 at Gardanibagh, have garnered significant political support and have been marked by allegations of irregularities and instances of reported violence.
The core demand of the protesting candidates is the complete cancellation of the original PT exam and the conduct of a single, unified re-examination. They have raised serious concerns about the fairness and legitimacy of holding the exam twice, questioning how a fair merit list can be established under such circumstances.
These concerns are fuelled by allegations of paper leaks and mishandling during the initial examination process.
Jan Adhikar Party chief and Purnia MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav has been a prominent voice supporting the protesting students. He has accused the BPSC of large-scale corruption, alleging financial transactions worth Rs. 500 crores related to the examination process.
Yadav has also connected the commission to a student’s suicide and demanded a High Court investigation into the matter.
Other opposition figures, including Tejaswi Yadav and Prashant Kishore, have also expressed their support for the protesting candidates. Following earlier protests, First Information Reports (FIRs) have been filed against several individuals, including some political figures.
The protests have seen instances of escalating tensions, with reports of police using lathi charges against demonstrating candidates. One protester has even alleged being physically assaulted by Patna District Magistrate (DM) Chandrashekhar Singh during the demonstrations.
While the BPSC has acknowledged irregularities and cancelled the exam at one particular center, its refusal to cancel the entire examination has further intensified the unrest.
