BPSC official faces backlash over 'dogs' remark amid Bihar teacher recruitment protest

Patna: A Bihar Public Service Commission official came under attack on Monday for putting his foot in his mouth while making light of an ongoing protest by job aspirants in the state, which has received support from the opposition.

Rajesh Kumar Singh, an examination controller with the BPSC, ended up being accused of "likening students to dogs" as a video clip went viral of a press conference he addressed earlier in the day. Singh was asked about demands raised by the agitating candidates, which include objections against the new system of Teachers' Recruitment Exams being held in two stages - prelims and mains.

BPSC official remarks trigger controversy

The protesters have also been alleging that the recruitment system placed Hindi medium candidates at a disadvantage. Singh, who sought to brush aside the misgivings, said: "I want to ask all those who have problems - why do you not move the court? As far as the Commission is concerned, I would like to quote the proverb - haathi chale bazaar, k***a bhunke hazaar". Singh could be heard urging reporters that they ignore his use of the adage, a rough translation of which is 'an elephant saunters through the marketplace unfazed at a thousand dogs that bark at him from the wayside'.

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Nonetheless, the video clip was run by news outlets and shared on social media, with netizens equating Singh's utterances to the "cockroaches and parasites" of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, which triggered a major nationwide controversy and is said to have inspired the "Gen Z protests" that led to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

Tejashwi Yadav seeks BPSC action

RJD working president Tejashwi Yadav lashed out at Singh, demanding an apology from him and urging the Samrat Choudhary government to take strict action against the official. Yadav, who is the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, was informed about Singh's remarks when he reached Gardani Bagh, the spot in the city where the protest was underway.

Several aspirants were heard screaming: "The BPSC official's remarks are proof that in the eyes of the authorities, our worth is not more than that of stray dogs". Yadav's estranged elder sister Rohini Acharya, who keeps a tab on Bihar politics while away in Singapore, also shared the video clip on her X handle and alleged that Singh's remarks were "derogatory" and "undignified".

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BPSC examination controller expresses regret

A chastened Singh later came out with a short video statement, claiming: "I had merely uttered a proverb, but my words were twisted out of context. Nonetheless, if I have offended anybody, even unwittingly, I express regrets". Several media outlets ran reports claiming that the state government has decided to drop Singh and instructed the department concerned to place him under suspension. However, there was no official confirmation of such claims.