Patna: Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, commenced an indefinite hunger strike at 5 pm today beneath the Gandhi statue in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan. This action is in solidarity with candidates protesting alleged irregularities in the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Preliminary Examination held on December 13.
The controversy centers on claims that the examination questions were substandard, closely mirroring model papers from coaching institutes. The examination, one of the state’s most significant recruitment drives, aimed to fill 2,031 vacancies, including positions for Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Deputy Superintendents of Police.
Prior to initiating his hunger strike, Kishor had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Bihar government, demanding the cancellation and re-conduct of the examination. With no response, he proceeded with the protest, stating, “If injustice is done to the students, we will stand with them with full strength.”
Tensions escalated following a protest at Gandhi Maidan on Sunday, which turned violent, leading to a police lathi-charge. Subsequently, an FIR was registered against over 700 individuals, including Kishor. In response, Raj Bhavan summoned the Senior Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate for an explanation.
Despite a meeting between BPSC Chairman Ravi Manu Bhai Parmar and former Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, where it was clarified that the examination would neither be canceled nor reconducted, Kishor and the protesting aspirants remain resolute in their demands.
