Protests25 August, 20262 min read
Police Use Water Cannons as Bihar Students Clash in Patna Over BPSC Recruitment Exams
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Patna protests over BPSC exams demand transparency and access to teacher recruitment. Police used water cannons and lathis to disperse demonstrators in Patna.
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Patna clashes over exams
Indian students and unemployed youth clashed with police in Patna on Tuesday as they marched towards the residence of Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhary, demanding access to jobs and transparency in recruitment exams. Police in Bihar used water cannons as a few thousand protestors broke through security barricades in the regional capital Patna, and local police accused some protestors of attacking security personnel.
Al Jazeera said the government forces used water cannons and lathis as a few thousand protesters broke through security barricades in the state capital Patna, with videos shown on Tuesday. The protests were linked to the Bihar Public Service Commission’s move to fill 33,000 teacher posts following a preliminary and main exam, and student organisations opposed the recruitment process while planning to picket Choudhary’s residence after marching from Gandhi Maidan.
Detentions, dialogue, and threats
Al Jazeera reported that police detained at least 25 protesters in Patna and released them later, while Patna Police Superintendent Kartikeya K Sharma said, "Police will identify those involved in stone pelting at police and will take action against them,". Hindustan Times described the marchers breaking through barricades while police used water cannons to disperse protesters, with Deputy police superintendent Kamakhya Narayan Singh among the policemen injured.
The Times of India said Bihar education minister Mithilesh Tiwari claimed the government had resolved the issues raised by the students and said, "For any students who wish to convey further points to the government, the doors for dialogue remain wide open." The same report quoted DSP Kamakhya Narayan Singh saying, "We will stop them; we won't let them proceed further," while also saying the dialogue had been positive and he expected the turnout to be lower.
What protesters want next
Protesters said they were demanding the cancellation of the 70th BPSC examination over allegations of irregularities and paper leaks, and they also opposed the proposed TRE-4 examination format that they said should be held in a single phase. The Times of India reported that protesters continued their agitation even as the Samrat Choudhary-led government claimed it had addressed "almost all issues" raised by the students, and it quoted protester Vikas Bhatt saying, "Our demand is that the education system in Bihar be improved."
Dawn reported that Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said his office was "listening to every student’s voice" and that the government was launching the 'Student Support Camp' starting today for the prompt and timely resolution of students’ problems, complaints, and suggestions. Counterview described a separate Bihar PUCL public hearing at the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Hall, Gandhi Maidan, where panelists characterized violence against student protesters as "state brutality" and said the hearing documented 19 direct testimonies of violence perpetrated during protests held between July 21 and July 27.