Bihar students protest: BPSC aspirants announce bandh; Priyanka Gandhi calls BJP’s double engine ‘symbol of double atrocities’

Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi lashed out at the Bihar government and the Centre for Sunday’s police action against protesting Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants. The protesting students announced a statewide bandh on Monday and reiterated their demand for cancelling examinations held on December 13.

Coming down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led governments in the state and Centre, Priyanka Gandhi said those in power are stopping aspirants from raising their voices instead of preventing corruption. “Students were tortured for the second time in three days in Bihar. It is the government's job to stop corruption, rigging and paper leaks in examinations. But instead of stopping corruption, students are being prevented from raising their voice,” she said in a post on X.

Priyanka Gandhi said it was inhuman to use water cannons on protesters during the harsh cold weather. “Water cannon and lathi charge on youth in this harsh cold is inhuman. BJP's double engine has become a symbol of double atrocities on the youth,” she charged.

Meanwhile, the protesters have announced statewide bandh in Bihar on Monday to reiterate their demands. Several political parties have extended support to the protesters. The aspirants urged the BPSC to cancel the examination held on December 13 and conduct them afresh over allegations of question paper leak. However, the board has ruled out cancellation of examinations.

On Sunday, police used water cannons and lathi-charged when the protesters attempted to march towards chief minister’s residence from Gandhi maidan. Bihar police has registered case against 21 persons including including Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishore, his party president Manoj Bharti, city-based tutor Ramanshu Mishra and 600-700 unknown persons for organising a gathering of students at Gandhi Maidan without proper permissions.