Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has strongly condemned the police action on aspirants protesting against the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) prelims results, which have been marred by allegations of irregularities.
In a video statement, Yadav expressed solidarity with the injured protesters and criticized the Bihar government for its handling of the situation.
Key Highlights from Tejashwi Yadav’s Statement
- Condemnation of Violence:
“It is very painful how BPSC aspirants were beaten up by the police. Many people are badly injured in this. The visuals that have surfaced are painful. I am a youth, and I can understand their situation,” he said. - Raising Concerns in Assembly:
Yadav pointed out that the RJD had raised this issue in the Vidhan Sabha on November 28 and even wrote to the Chief Minister, but no response was received. - Criticism of BPSC’s Actions:
He questioned BPSC’s delayed clarification on normalization practices and the selective cancellation of exams at one center despite allegations of paper leaks. “If the paper was leaked, why is the exam being canceled only at one center? This is a kind of normalization,” he remarked. - Support for Re-Examination:
“That’s why students are protesting for a re-examination. I also support this,” Yadav affirmed, aligning himself with the students’ demands.
Police Action and Protesters’ Demands
On Sunday, Bihar police used lathi charges and water cannons to disperse aspirants protesting in Gandhi Maidan, Patna, demanding the cancellation of the Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024, conducted on December 13.
SP City Sweety Sahrawat explained the police response, stating, “We requested the students protesting to vacate the place, but they didn’t listen. They also pushed us, after which we used water cannons on them.”
Background of the Protest
The protest stems from alleged irregularities in the 70th BPSC prelims, including:
- Claims of paper leaks.
- Concerns over the normalization process used to calculate scores.
- Aspirants demanding a complete re-examination.
The controversy has added to growing dissatisfaction among job aspirants in Bihar, prompting calls for greater accountability from the state government and examination authorities.