BPSC paper ‘leak’ sparks Bihar Bandh calls, Priyanka Gandhi condemns lathicharge on job aspirants — What’s the issue?

Chaos ensued in Bihar’s Patna when police lathicharged protesters who were demanding to cancel the combined preliminary exam conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on December 13. Opposition leaders including RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and Independent MP Pappu Yadav slammed police action.

Here’s all you need to know about the BPSC paper ‘leak’ protests.

Why were protests being held?

The BPSC aspirants began protesting on December 13 over the alleged irregularities during an exam conducted by the authority. Several candidates said they received the question paper nearly an hour late. Others claimed that answer papers were torn, fuelling concerns about a possible leak.

It was alleged that the question paper of the combined preliminary exam was leaked. The candidates also alleged that there were delays in distributing the papers.

The protesters demanded re-examination and the cancellation of the preliminary examination of the BPSC. They have requested the commission to announce a fresh date for the test at the earliest, news agency PTI reported.

What did BPSC Chairman say?

Meanwhile, BPSC Chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai had on Tuesday ruled out the cancellation of the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024, which was held earlier this month.

He, however, made it clear that BPSC would conduct a re-examination of candidates who appeared for the test at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre in Patna on December 13. Manubhai announced that the re-examination would be held on January 4, 2025.

The BPSC had cancelled its combined preliminary examination held at Bapu Pariksha Parisar in Patna’s Kumhrar locality, where an on-duty official died of a heart attack after a ruckus was created by “unruly” candidates on December 13.

Protests, lathicharge and viral video

As the protest gained momentum, police allegedly baton-charge job aspirants. The aspirants had gathered to “gherao” the commission’s office in Patna and demanded a cancellation of the examination.

Video clips of the police action against job aspirants went viral on social media on Wednesday, with some showing personnel chasing and beating up protesters, including women. Mint could not verify the authenticity of the video clips.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also shared the video on his X handle on Thursday. He wrote, “I had said in Parliament that in a way Eklavya’s thumb was cut off, the same way the thumbs of the youth are being cut off by leaking the papers. The latest example of this is Bihar. BPSC candidates are raising their voice against the paper leak and demanding cancellation of the exam…”

However, police department authorities issued a clarification, claiming that they used “mild force” and denied any injuries to the protesting aspirants.

DSP Anu Kumari was quoted by ANI as saying, “To cancel the preliminary examination of BPSC, aspirants have been continuously protesting at the Dharna Sthal in Gardanibagh since December 18.”

“These students are being instigated, both directly and indirectly, by some teachers. Additionally, many social media handles are misleading and inciting the students,” police claimed.

“On December 23, a candidate vandalized the Gardanibagh Hospital. Later on December 25, hundreds of BPSC aspirants surrounded the BPSC office. Law and order issues were created without permission, causing inconvenience to the public. The administration used mild force to disperse the gathering, and no one suffered any injuries,” she added.

Police registered a case against protestors in connection with Wednesday’s incident. The DSP said that an FIR was filed at Gardanibagh police station under relevant sections against those who instigated aspirants, and further action is being taken.

‘Treated like terrorists’

Some protesters alleged that they were “treated like terrorists” by the police. “We were mercilessly beaten up by the police as if we are terrorists,” said a protester without divulging his identity.

Some women reached the Gardani Bagh protest site wearing bangles. “We have brought bangles for the BPSC officials”, a woman protester said without revealing her name.

Bihar bandh on January 1?

Independent MP from Purnea Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav called for a Bihar bandh on January 1, 2025, if the December 13 combined preliminary examination is not cancelled.

“If the BPSC does not cancel its December 13 exam, we will call a Bihar bandh on January 1, 2025. I demand immediate cancellation of the December 13 exam….if it is not cancelled in a day or two, my supporters will call the bandh. Police baton charges on protesters are highly condemnable,” Yadav was quoted by PTI as saying.

Opposition leaders slam

Rashtriya Janata Dal Chief Lalu Prasad said that the police should not have resorted to “lathi charge” on the protesting students and said that what was done was wrong. “Aisa nahi karna chahiye tha. Galat baat hai (They shouldn’t have done this. It’s wrong),” Lalu said.

On Thursday, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the police action on job seekers in Patna, saying the ruling party’s only vision is to save its chair and whoever demands employment is oppressed.

“Lathi charge on youths who had their hands folded is the height of cruelty. In BJP rule, youths demanding employment are beaten with sticks. Be it UP, Bihar or Madhya Pradesh – if youths raise their voice, they are brutally beaten,” Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on her WhatsApp channel.

“It is the government’s job to think about the future of the youth of the world’s youngest country and make policies for it. But the BJP only has the vision of saving its chair,” she said. “Whoever demands employment is oppressed,” the Congress MP added.

Meanwhile, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav slammed Bihar Chief Minister’s “dictatorial decisions” and justification of “this hooliganism.”