Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, today, Thursday, December 26, condemned the police action on protesting Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) candidates in Patna, accusing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of using lathi charges to cover up its failures. This was stated in a report by PTI.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that its sole focus is on clinging to power while suppressing those who demand employment.
In a post in Hindi on X, Rahul Gandhi remarked, "I had said in Parliament that in the same way that Eklavya's thumb was cut off, the thumbs of the youth were being chopped off by paper leaks. The latest example of this is Bihar. BPSC candidates are raising their voices against the paper leak and demanding the cancellation of the exam. But to hide its failure, the NDA government is instead resorting to lathi-charge on the students."
"This is extremely shameful and condemnable. Playing with the future of students will not be tolerated. We are with them and will fight to get them justice," he asserted.
Chaos broke out in Patna on Wednesday, December 25, during protests against an alleged leak of the December 13 combined preliminary exam question paper conducted by BPSC. The police reportedly resorted to baton charges against job aspirants, and protesters claimed that several were injured. However, a senior officer denied the allegations.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed outrage, posting on her WhatsApp channel in Hindi, "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."
She added, "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. Whoever demands employment is oppressed."
The Congress strongly condemned the police action, while independent Members of Parliament (MP) from Purnea, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, called for a Bihar bandh on January 1, 2025, if the preliminary examination is not cancelled.
Video clips of the police action went viral on social media, showing personnel chasing and beating protesters, including women. Protesters raised slogans against BPSC officials and demanded the exam’s cancellation. However, the authenticity of the video clips could not be verified by PTI.
The police have since registered a case against the protesters in connection with Wednesday's incident. Job aspirants have urged the commission to cancel the preliminary exam and announce a fresh date for the test.
