Bihar: Patna administration issues notice to Prashant Kishore, seeks shifting of protest venue to Gardanibagh

Patna: The district administration of Patna has asked Jan Suraaj Chief Prashant Kishore to shift the venue of his protest, citing a high court order. A notice asking Kishore to shift the protests to Gardanibagh area in the city was issued after he launched an indefinite hunger strike demanding cancellation of the Bihar Public Civil Service Commission (BPSC) examination over the alleged paper leak incident at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan.

“The Patna High Court had said in its judgment in 2015 that Gardanibagh is the only protest site in Patna. They have been given notice by the administration and told that protests can be held in the Gardanibagh area. They will be given time and then action will be taken against them,” Gaurav Kumar, Patna Sub-Divisional Magistrate, told reporters.

Kishore joined the aspirants of the BPSC in their protest at Gandhi Maidan on Thursday, January 2 and criticized Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for not meeting the students.

“Who has permitted the farmers to protest in Delhi? If someone can protest on the streets in Delhi, why can’t we protest in Gandhi Maidan? We are protesting peacefully,” Kishor told ANI.

The protesting students in Patna are demanding the cancellation of the Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on December 13.

Earlier delegation of the protesting students met with the Governor and state’s chief secretary on Monday and submitted their demands.

Meanwhile Supporters of the Purnea MP Pappu Yadav on Friday, January 3 jammed the road in Araria district and raised slogans demanding reexamination. Similar protests have also been staged in at least half a dozen districts in the state, halting commuters.

In Patna supporters of Pappu Yadav sat down at the tracks of the Sachiwalay Halt Railway station in Patna and organized a ‘rail roko’ to support the protest of the students. The police however disperse the supporters and cleared the track.

“We have removed the protestors from the tracks. The track that was stopped due to the protest has also been signaled to move ahead. We will be investigating further on this,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sachivalaya, Anu Kumari (With Inputs from ANI).