BPSC row: Prashant Kishor begins fast unto death demanding exam cancellation

PATNA: Upping the ante, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Thursday began a fast unto death to press the demand for cancellation of an examination recently held by Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC). Kishor made the announcement at the historic Gandhi Maidan in the state capital, three days after giving a "48-hour ultimatum" to the Nitish Kumar government for acting on the demand, raised by aggrieved candidates.

The administration, however, said the hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan is illegal as it is not the designated site for holding protests. "My primary demand, of course, is cancellation of the exam held on December 13 and conducting a fresh test. I have also heard allegations that posts to be filled by the exam were virtually put on sale. Such corrupt officials must be identified and brought to justice", said Kishor, who was accompanied by a number of supporters.

The venue was barely a couple of kilometres from Gardani Bagh where the aggrieved aspirants have been holding a round-the-clock sit-in for nearly two weeks. The 47-year-old former poll strategist, who hopes his fledgling party to make a big impact in assembly polls due in less than a year, also made it clear that the demands he is making were just a few of the things on which he expected the government to act.

Striking a populist note, the former JD(U) vice-president said he wanted the state's NDA government to "bring in a domicile policy, reserving two thirds of government vacancies for candidates from the state".

He added, "The injustice done to the state's youth by the current regime goes long back. Before his ascent to power, the chief minister (Nitish Kumar) had toured the state and promised unemployment doles. Not a single person has got the benefit even after 20 years. The government must start giving unemployment allowance".

Kishor also demanded a white paper on several competitive exams held in the last 10 years which were marred by question paper leaks and claimed that the government demonstrated its inability to crack down on the education mafia suspected to be behind the malpractices.

Also read BPSC 70th CCE Prelims 2024 held on December 13 will not be cancelled, says commission

The Jan Suraaj leader's aggressive stance comes in the wake of scorn heaped on him by political both ruling and opposition leaders in the state, after a demonstration he staged on Sunday ended in lathi charge and use of water cannons by police.

Referring to the police action, Kishor said, "Officials who have converted democracy into the rule by force must be booked". Meanwhile, the district administration in a statement said that the dharna staged by Kishor and his nearly 150 supporters at Gandhi Maidan is illegal. "The Patna High Court has clearly ordered that no demonstration is allowed anywhere in the city except the designated spot in Gardani Bagh.

Hence, an FIR is being lodged against Kishor and his supporters. They are also being served with a notice to either move to Gardani Bagh or face legal action," the statement added. In a related development, the CPI(ML) Liberation announced that its students' wing AISA, along with like-minded organizations, will on Friday stage a demonstration in front of the CM's residence "to compel Nitish Kumar to break his silence" on the issue.

BPSC protests

Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, who has been voicing his support to the stir, also announced that a "rail roko chakka jam" programme in the state capital, claiming his supporters from across the state will be converging in the city for the purpose.

State unit of the Youth Congress also announced that it will take out a "mashaal julus" (torchlight procession) from Sadaqat Ashram, the BPCC headquarters, to the memorial of first President Rajendra Prasad, situated a kilometre away.

Notably, more than five lakh candidates had appeared for the Combined Competitive Exams held on December 13 when hundreds of candidates, all at Bapu Pariksha Parisar here, boycotted the test alleging that question papers were leaked. This was met with a strong denial from the BPSC, which claimed the allegations were "a conspiracy" to force the exam's cancellation, even as fresh tests were ordered for more than 10,000 candidates who had appeared at Bapu Pariksha Parisar.

The candidates have been asked to appear on January 4 at 22 newly designated centres across the city. This has been resented by some of the candidates who hold that such an arrangement militated against the principle of ensuring a "level playing field".

On Monday, an 11-member delegation, of which Kishor's party colleague and retired IPS officer RK Mishra was a part, had met Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, in what appeared to be the government's gesture to end the stalemate. However, a recent statement from senior minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, a key aide of the CM, that there was "no evidence" to show that question papers were leaked made amply clear that the government was unwilling to intervene in a manner that would satisfy the protesting candidates.