Prashant Kishor Starts Hunger Strike In Patna's Gandhi Maidan Amid BPSC Row

Prashant Kishor, made the announcement at the Gandhi Maidan, three days after giving a 48-hour ultimatum to the Nitish Kumar government for acting on the demand, raised by aggrieved candidates.

Political strategist-turned politician and Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor has started an indefinite hunger strike from Thursday (January 2) in Patna's Gandhi Maidan over the ongoing row over the alleged paper leak in the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination.

Kishor, who earlier joined the students' agitation in Patna, began his huger strike at 5 pm on Thursday under the Gandhi statue in Gandhi Maidan against the poor condition of BPSC students and the education system in Bihar.

Kishor, made the announcement at the Gandhi Maidan, three days after giving a 48-hour ultimatum to the Nitish Kumar government for acting on the demand, raised by aggrieved candidates. 

"My primary demand, of course, is cancellation of the exam held on December 13 and conducting a fresh test. I have also heard 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, who was accompanied by a number of supporters, said.

The administration, however, said the hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan is illegal as it is not the designated site for holding protests.

The venue of Kishor's protest is barely a couple of kilometres from Gardani Bagh where the aggrieved aspirants have been holding a round-the-clock sit-in for nearly two weeks.  

The protest comes a day after a case was registered against Prashant Kishor following the protests by BPSC aspirants in Patna on Sunday. Kishor was booked several charges, including inciting candidates, leading them to the streets, and causing disruption.

The FIR comes after thousands of protestors, joined by Prashant Kishore at Gandhi Maidan, attempted to march towards the Bihar chief minister’s residence last week, prompting police to take action.

On Monday, an 11-member delegation, of which Kishor's party colleague and retired IPS officer RK Mishra was a part, had met Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, in what appeared to be the government's gesture to end the stalemate. The government has also been maintaining that any decision in the matter would have to be taken by the BPSC, an autonomous body.