Supporters of independent MP Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, held a rail blockade at Sachivalaya Halt Railway Station in Patna, today, Friday, January 3, demanding the cancellation of the recently held Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination, police said. This was stated in a report by Hindustan Times.
The protesters squatted on the tracks for a short duration, disrupting train schedules. "Protesters stopped the Buxar-Fatuha passenger train at Sachivalaya Halt Station around 9 am. The train was delayed by 20 minutes and later resumed its journey," East Central Railway's chief public relations officer Saraswati Chandra told PTI.
Jan Suraaj Founder Prashant Kishor has been on a hunger strike since Thursday, urging the cancellation of the 70th Combined Competitive Examination conducted by the BPSC on December 13.
Kishor's protest at Gandhi Maidan, deemed "illegal" by the administration, was just two kilometres away from Gardani Bagh, where Civil Service aspirants have been staging a continuous sit-in for nearly two weeks. On Thursday, the district police filed a First Information report (FIR) against Kishor and others for organising a demonstration at a restricted site.
"My primary demand, of course, is the cancellation of the exam held on December 13 and conducting a fresh test. I have also heard of allegations that posts to be filled by the exam were virtually put on sale. Such corrupt officials must be identified and brought to justice," Kishor said on Thursday, accompanied by numerous supporters.
The CPI (Communist Party of India) (ML) Marxist–Leninist Liberation announced that its student wing AISA (All India Students' Association), alongside allied organisations, would stage a demonstration near Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence, pressuring him to address the issue.
More than five lakh candidates appeared for the December 13 exam, but the process has been marred by allegations of malpractice. Hundreds of candidates at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar Centre boycotted the test, claiming the question paper had been leaked.
While the BPSC dismissed the allegations as a conspiracy, it ordered a fresh test for over 10,000 candidates who had appeared at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre. These candidates are now scheduled to retake the exam on January 4 at 22 newly designated centres across the city.
