BPSC exam row: Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor sent to jail after refusing to sign bail bond
Jan Suraaj founder and political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor was sent to jail on Monday after refusing to sign a bail bond following his arrest.
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor was arrested on Monday for holding an "illegal" fast unto death and sent to jail after refusing to accept bail. The court had granted bail with conditions that Kishor deemed "unreasonable."
The 47-year-old, who was booked last week for conducting the 'Aamaran anshan' (fast unto death) at Gandhi Maidan, violated a Patna High Court order that prohibits such protests at locations other than Gardani Bagh in the city. Kishor vowed to continue his protest even from behind bars.
Senior lawyer Y V Giri, associated with Kishor’s party, criticized the bail conditions, particularly the requirement for Kishor to submit a written undertaking, which he argued would imply "admitting guilt."
Kishor had begun his fast on January 2, demanding the cancellation of the Combined Competitive Examination conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) last month, among other issues. He was arrested early on Monday, along with several supporters.
Talking to reporters before being taken to the Beur Central Jail on the outskirts of the city, Kishor alleged, "After being picked up at 4 AM, I was taken to AIIMS, Patna, for medical examination but doctors refused to do the needful because of reasons best known to them".
"Between 5 AM and 11 AM, the police kept driving me along in their ambulance, never bothering to disclose the location. When I enquired, they said they were trying to get me examined at PMCH or NMCH (both government hospitals in the city)", claimed Kishor.
The Jan Suraaj Party founder also stated that he was eventually taken to a community health center in Fatuha, located on the outskirts of the city, but he refused to provide consent for a medical test.
"The doctors refused to accept the request of the police to issue a bogus certificate," he alleged.
"Be that as it may, I urge all of you not to quarrel with the policemen who are doing what they have been told by higher authorities. The government believes it can charge the baton on those making legitimate demands. If opposing such a regime is a crime, then I am ready to commit such an offence," he added.
Notably, Kishor faced criticism from political figures across party lines after a protest organized by him on December 30 was met with a lathi charge and the use of water cannons.
The Jan Suraaj Party founder said, "I thank the judge for granting me bail. But I could not accept it as I was told to give an undertaking that I would never again be part of an illegal protest. There is nothing illegal about my fast unto death at Gandhi Maidan, which is a public place. I shall go to jail, but continue my fast, surviving only on water like before. I shall not relent until the government agrees to our demands."
Kishor also denied claims that he was "slapped" by a policeman at Gandhi Maidan, explaining that the officers had treated him well during the incident. He clarified that when he was being taken away, one of his supporters, who was emotionally distressed, grabbed his hand, prompting a policeman to slap his hand away.
In addition to calling for the cancellation of the December 13 exam, Kishor has been advocating for a "white paper" on the question paper leaks that have occurred in Bihar over the past decade. He has also demanded that the Nitish Kumar government implement a "domicile policy," reserving "two-thirds" of government posts for residents of Bihar.
Nearly five lakh candidates appeared for the exams held across the state on December 13 last year. At the Bapu Pariksha Parisar, hundreds of examinees boycotted the test, alleging that the question papers had been leaked.
The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) denied the allegations, claiming there was a "conspiracy" aimed at getting the test cancelled. However, the BPSC ordered a re-examination for nearly 12,000 candidates assigned to the Bapu Pariksha Parisar.
Although the re-exams were held on January 4, some candidates have been staging a round-the-clock protest at Gardani Bagh, claiming that malpractices occurred at several other centres as well. They argue that the selective re-examination deprived other candidates of a "level playing field."
Alongside Kishor, other opposition parties in the state, including the RJD, Congress, and the Left, have voiced support for the candidates' demand to cancel the entire exam and conduct it afresh.
- BPSC exam
- Bihar Public Service Commission
- Chandrashekhar Singh
- Gandhi Maidan
- Jan Suraaj
- Patna
- Patna AIIMS
- Prashant Kishor
- Supreme Court
- arrest
- bail bond
- civil service aspirants
- district administration
- exam cancellation
- fast-unto-death
- illegal protest
- judicial custody
- manhandling allegations
- police action
- protest controversy
- protest site
- question paper leak
- restricted area
- retest