Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor was arrested early Monday morning while staging an indefinite hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan, Patna, in protest against alleged irregularities in the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination. Kishor had been fasting since Thursday, demanding the cancellation of the 70th Combined Competitive Preliminary Examination conducted by BPSC on December 13, 2024.
Police personnel removed Kishor and his supporters from the protest site, labeling the sit-in as “illegal.” According to Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh, Kishor and his supporters were arrested and taken to Patna AIIMS for a medical examination. “They will now be presented before a court,” Singh stated.
The protest was sparked by allegations of a question paper leak, leading to widespread student dissatisfaction. Although the BPSC announced a re-examination for 12,000 affected candidates, Kishor argued that this decision indirectly acknowledged the irregularities. Speaking to the media on Sunday, Kishor emphasized the importance of addressing students’ concerns for the state’s future and urged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to meet with the protesters.
Kishor had also called on opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav to support the movement, stating that their involvement could amplify the students’ voices against what he described as a “brutal regime.”
The district administration previously filed an FIR against Kishor and 150 supporters, asserting that the protest violated restrictions on gatherings at the site. Despite the crackdown, students continue to demand the cancellation of the exam, with many highlighting the discrepancies in the re-examination process.
The BPSC has denied allegations of a paper leak and stated that the fresh test was conducted smoothly, with 5,943 out of 12,000 candidates appearing. The controversy remains a significant challenge for the Bihar government, drawing national attention to the state’s recruitment process.
