Tejashwi's RJD to continue fight over paper leaks, AK-47 row

RJD's Tejashwi Yadav led a protest in Patna against the Bihar government over alleged paper leaks and unemployment, demanding CM Samrat Chaudhary's accountability. Yadav and other party leaders were briefly detained amid the protest.

Tejashwi Leads RJD Protest, Demands Accountability

Bihar Assembly Leader of Opposition and Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday said his party would continue its fight over alleged examination paper leaks, unemployment and issues concerning students until Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary "takes responsibility" and ensures justice.

The RJD's protest comes amid a controversy over the alleged use of an AK-47 rifle during a student protest in Siwan on July 25 over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak controversy. The Bihar government has told the Supreme Court that a police constable fired four rounds from an AK-47 into the air after being trapped in a crowd, while maintaining that no protester was injured in the firing. Later, the constable was suspended.

The controversy has become a major point of attack for the Opposition RJD, which has linked it to its wider allegations concerning student welfare, unemployment and transparency in examinations. Yadav was briefly detained along with several RJD workers, including party MP Misa Bharti, while leading a foot march from Gandhi Maidan towards Lok Bhavan. He was later brought to the Secretariat police station and released.

Speaking to reporters after being released, Yadav said, "Until the Chief Minister takes responsibility, we will not give a statement on the entire incident and until action is taken against the culprits, ... as long as justice will not be done to the students, unemployment will not end, we will continue to fight."

The RJD has been demanding action over the use of an AK-47 rifle during a student protest in Siwan and has been raising allegations of examination irregularities, paper leaks and unemployment in the state. Yadav, after being detained, also accused the government of being afraid of the youth and asserted that the RJD would continue to raise issues concerning students and unemployment.

RJD MPs Escalate Attack on Government

RJD MP Misa Bharti, who was also detained during the protest, said that the party leaders and workers were taken into custody and their details were recorded. "We were brought here into custody, and all our names and addresses were taken down, and after that, we were released," Bharti told reporters after being released.

RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha stepped up the attack on the Bihar government, alleging that "AK-47 rifles were fired at students" and accusing the government of submitting a false affidavit in the matter. "The fundamental question is an issue due to which we have filed an affidavit, and that issue is that AK-47s were fired at students, a false affidavit was submitted, and a Union Minister is making false claims that no shots were fired, even though the affidavit itself admits to shots being fired in the air," Jha said.

Jha further alleged that students were continuing their sit-in protest at Gardanibagh and claimed that examinations were not being conducted fairly. "Students are staging a sit-in protest at Gardanibagh. Not a single examination is being conducted honestly. They have mortgaged the entire framework of education and employment," the RJD MP said.

During Wednesday's protest, some demonstrators climbed onto a bus in which Yadav and other protesters were being taken by police after their detention. Protesters taking part in the RJD demonstration were also seen posing as police personnel while holding AK-47 rifle-shaped cutouts towards students.

JD(U) and Police Counter Claims

While speaking to ANI over the issue, Janata Dal (United) National General Secretary Harshvardhan Singh criticised Yadav over the foot march and questioned his role as Leader of the Opposition. "Whenever something significant is happening, he is usually abroad and not in the country. He fails to perform the actual duties of an Opposition Leader. One shouldn't play politics; you need to understand what Bihar needs. You are the Leader of the Opposition; the public voted for you. If students face a problem or an incident occurs, the issue should be raised genuinely," Singh told ANI.

Meanwhile, the Police official denied the use of force during the RJD protest march. Patna Inspector General of Police Jitendra Rana said the march from Gandhi Maidan had concluded and that a delegation was proceeding towards Lok Bhavan. He denied that police had used force and said water cannons were used to control the crowd. "The march that started from Gandhi Maidan has concluded. A delegation is going to Lok Bhawan. Some of the people who were taken into custody have already left for Lok Bhawan. The police have not used force. Water cannon was used on the crowd," Rana told reporters.

The RJD's foot march was organised in the backdrop of clashes between student protesters and police personnel in Siwan on July 25 during demonstrations over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak controversy. The RJD has continued to target the state government over the issue, alleging that the administration has failed to protect the interests of students and address unemployment and examination-related concerns. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)