BPSC students' protest: Prashant Kishor to sit on ‘indefinite strike’ from January 2

Prashant Kishor is participating in the BPSC aspirants' protest in Bihar. (Image: PTI)

A day after a police case was filed against election strategist-turned political leader Prashant Kishor, the Jan Suraaj party chief on Monday said he would sit on an indefinite strike from January 2, until the demands of the students are met.

He also demanded action against the officials who ordered a baton charge on the students protesting over the BPSC exam paper leak row, News18 reported.

Prashant Kishor said on Monday, “We have put our point in a democratic way. We have decided that we should give 48 hours to the government as CM (Nitish Kumar) is not in Patna currently… You are the CM of Bihar but these students only have made you the CM of the state. If CM calls us to meet then we will go. We are with the students…The CM has time till January 1 to provide a solution to students’ issues. ”

VIDEO | BPSC exam protest: Heres what Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) said after a delegation of students met Bihar Chief Secretary, earlier today.

We have put our point in a democratic way. We have decided that we should give 48 hours to the pic.twitter.com/AawP3DQcBg Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 30, 2024

“If our issues are not resolved, then the form that our agitation will take from January 2… we will put more strength in that and protest. On January 3, we will also go to court. We will also look into using whatever legal options are available... To avoid such situation, we request the government to take a positive decision,” Prashant Kishor added, PTI reported.

Also Read: BPSC protest in Bihar: Opposition senses opportunity amid students' face-off with govt

Earlier on Sunday, a lathi charge and water cannon action by the Patna Police left many BPSC candidates injured. In a statement, the Patna authorities said a case had been filed against Prashant Kishor on charges of unauthorised gathering of crowd, instigating people and creating law and order problems.

VIDEO | Minor scuffle breaks out between police and BPSC aspirants at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. The BPSC aspirants, who were joined by Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, were demanding a re-exam for the 70th prelims exam. #BPSC#BPSCprotest(Full video available on PTI pic.twitter.com/9y7Tg5xyoN Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 29, 2024

The Jan Suraaj Party, the police said, had also held a protest march without permission and led the crowd near Patna's Gandhi Maidan which had turned violent, breaking police loudspeakers and clashing with magistrates and police officers on duty.

This came after Prashant Kishor joined BPSC aspirants protest at Gandhi Maidan and said that a five-member student delegation would meet the Bihar Government Secretary over the ongoing issue. A video, now widely being shared over the internet, showed Kishor allegedly leaving the protest site amidst the police lathi charge.

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) candidates have been protesting for more than a week seeking the cancellation of the Preliminary Examination conducted by the BPSC over allegations of question paper leak. They are demanding a re-exam to be held for the 70th BPSC prelims.

#WATCH | Bihar | Jan Suraaj Chief Prashant Kishor joins BPSC aspirants protest in Patna's Gandhi MaidanBPSC aspirants are demanding a re-exam to be held for the 70th BPSC prelims pic.twitter.com/NUuhY9blBg

ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2024

At the protest site, Kishor said on Sunday, "The government officials present here have assured us that the government has agreed to discuss the demands of the students and the five-member students' committee will go and talk to the Chief Secretary right now so that some decision can be taken on the problems and demands of the students... If after talking to the Secretary, the students or the student organization of BPSC candidates are not satisfied, then tomorrow morning a decision will be made on the further protest...I would request the students not to do anything right now that is not legal... If the decision is not in favour of the students, if any injustice is done to the students, then we will stand with them with full strength...I am with the students..."