LoP Rahul Gandhi Meets BPSC Protestors Lathicharged By Police In Patna — WATCH
Rahul Gandhi met with BPSC exam aspirants in Patna, who alleged exam irregularities and police brutality during protests. He listened to their demands as the Congress urged the Bihar govt to address them.
Bihar News: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday met BPSC (Bihar Public Service Commission) aspirants in Patna, including protestors who were lathi-charged during their demonstrations. A man was seen showing videos of police beating protesters amid the ongoing agitation.
VIDEO | BPSC Protests: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) meets BPSC aspirants at Gandhi Bagh Dharna Sthal in Patna, Bihar.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 18, 2025
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/cz7qUP1u4n
Congress took to X to share the update: “Leader of the Opposition Shri @RahulGandhi met with the BPSC aspirants in Patna and listened to their demands. The youths’ demands are legitimate. The Bihar government should accept them.”
नेता विपक्ष श्री @RahulGandhi ने पटना में BPSC अभ्यर्थियों से मुलाकात की और उनकी मांगों को सुना।
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 18, 2025
युवाओं की मांग जायज है। बिहार सरकार को इन्हें मानना चाहिए।
📍 बिहार pic.twitter.com/tleKVSuS0p
Independent MP Pappu Yadav spoke about Rahul Gandhi's visit and remarked, "He silently came here. Earlier, I had messaged him and urged him to meet the BPSC aspirants in Patna. Students are proud of the way he met them."
VIDEO | On Congress MP Rahul Gandhi meeting BPSC aspirants in Patna, Independent MP Pappu Yadav (@pappuyadavjapl) says, "He silently came here. Earlier, I had messaged him and urged him to meet the BPSC aspirants in Patna. Students are proud of the way he met them."
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 18, 2025
(Full video… pic.twitter.com/7Zw3mZ7C3W
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, who has led protests over students' demands, also reacted to Rahul Gandhi's meeting with BPSC aspirants. He told news ANI, "Be it Chirag Paswan, Rahul Gandhi or Tejashwi Yadav, all leaders should stand in support of the youth of Bihar. Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi was late in coming because the matter had already reached the court... Congress should also stand in support of the youth and I appeal to the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi to provide legal aid to the students to get justice."
#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor says, "Rahul Gandhi should introspect on what role the Congress party has played in the plight of Bihar as an ally of RJD. Rahul Gandhi should note that when his father Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of the country,… pic.twitter.com/qSY4YZh0Wg
— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2025
He also said, "Rahul Gandhi should introspect on what role the Congress party has played in the plight of Bihar as an ally of RJD. Rahul Gandhi should note that when his father Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of the country, in 1989, he had talked about a special package of Rs 50 thousand crore for Bihar. But they (Congress) never fulfilled the promise made by Rajiv Gandhi."
BPSC Exam Row In Patna
Rahul Gandhi's visit was part of his engagement at the 'Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan' in Patna. His interaction with the aspirants comes amidst a growing controversy surrounding the competitive examination held by the BPSC on December 13, 2024. The examination has sparked state-wide protests, with allegations of a question paper leak. While the government dismissed these allegations, a fresh test was ordered for over 12,000 candidates who had appeared at a centre in Patna after they were prevented from writing the exam on December 13.
The issue has also reached the Patna High Court. On Thursday, the court directed the Bihar government and the state public service commission to file counter-affidavits in response to several petitions seeking the cancellation of the Combined Competitive Exams (CCE) conducted in December, news agency PTI reported. The petitions claim the exam was marred by irregularities, including the circulation of the question paper on social media and issues at multiple examination centres.
Justice Arvind Singh Chandel set January 31, 2025, as the next date for the hearing, emphasising that the results of the December 13 exam would depend on the final outcome of the petitions. In his order, Justice Chandel stated, "At this stage, I am not inclined to grant any interim relief, as prayed by the petitioners. The respondents are directed to file detailed para-wise counter affidavits on or before January 30, 2025. The petition will be considered further on January 31, 2025."
The BPSC conducted the CCE on December 13 across about 912 centres, with approximately 12,000 candidates in attendance at Patna's Bapu Pariksha Parisar. The petitioners claim the question paper had been leaked, that several candidates were not provided with the correct paper, and that the papers were circulated on social media. Moreover, irregularities were reported at multiple centres, including non-functional jammers and last-minute changes to exam centres. Despite these claims, the state’s advocate general opposed the allegations.
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