Prashant Kishore admitted in ICU
Patna | Desk: Prashant Kishore, the founder of Jan Suraj Party was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in Medanta Hospital, Patna earlier this morning.
Kishore has been on hunger strike since January 2 to express solidarity with students of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) over alleged paper leaks.
Tension escalated after the political strategist turned politician was arrested on Monday morning for an “illegal’ hunger strike.
He was taken into custody at Gandhi Maidan in a violation of Patna High Court order that forbids any such demonstration other than Gardani Bagh locality in the city.
Kishore declared he would continue strike from behind bars.
BPSC Protests explained
Students have raised serious concern over 70th preliminary BPSC exams citing question paper resemblance to model papers from the coaching institutes demanding its cancellation.
The students protesting received support from the political strategist turned politician Prashant Kishore who has been sitting with the students in hunger strike.
BPSC exam dates
The BPSC examination was conducted on December 13, 2024 at 912 centers in Bihar.
In an exam center Bapu in Patna, uproar began after question paper was distributed late to the candidates.
District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh reached the spot and tried to handle the matter.
Meanwhile, the inspector present at the center, Ram Iqbal Singh, died of a heart attack.
Seeing the situation worsening, Patna DM Chandrashekhar Singh slapped a candidate which further enraged the candidates even more.
After finding evidence of delay in distribution of question papers, BPSC ordered the exam to be re-conducted at Bapu exam centre in Patna.
By then, it was discovered that the same glitch had occurred at 30 other exam centres.
CCTVs were not working at some centres.
On 18 December 2024, candidates demanded a re-examination of the exam and withdrawal of FIRs lodged against several students during the initial protest at the Patna Centre.
Protests escalate as students clash with police in Bihar
The ongoing student protests at Gardanibagh witnessed another surge of tension as police resorted to a lathi charge, leaving over a dozen students with minor injuries.
Protester Khushbu Kumari alleged that male officers assaulted her in the absence of women police officials.
The same evening, political strategist Prashant Kishor visited the protest site and announced a meeting with the students on December 27, followed by a march from Gandhi Maidan to meet Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
On December 29, over 15,000 students assembled at Gandhi Maidan for the planned march. However, Kishor and the protesters were intercepted en route to the CM’s residence.
Kishor initiated a dharna, while students were offered a meeting with a secretary-level officer to discuss their demands.
Talks with Students Fail to Resolve Issues
On December 30, the Nitish Kumar-led government offered students a meeting with Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena to discuss their demands.
Jan Suraaj Party leader and former IPS officer RK Mishra led the student delegation for talks.
However, the meeting ended without any progress, and the government did not address the demands for canceling the exam and holding a retest.
