Patna, Jan 6 : The arrest of Jan Suraj Party founder Prashant Kishor, during his hunger strike at city’s Gandhi Maidan on Monday morning has sparked widespread protests and criticism of Bihar police’s alleged excesses.
Kishor has been sitting on an indefinite hunger strike, demanding cancellation of 70th BPSC examination over alleged irregularities and paper leak reports. The BPSC aspirants and candidates have been on the streets for more than a fortnight now, urging Nitish government to cancel BPSC exams and re-conduct the same.
Following Kishor’s detention by Bihar police, his supporters gathered in large numbers at the Jan Suraj Party office in Sheikhpura, alleging police brutality.
“The police lathi-charged us and even slapped Prashant Kishor. This is unjustified. Nitish Kumar government has committed atrocities and the movement will only intensify,” said one of Kishore’s supporters.
Meanwhile, videos have surfaced on social media showing some police personnel slapping and dragging protesters on the road while taking Prashant Kishor in to custody.
Supporters claim they have been denied any information about Kishor’s whereabouts. They accused the police of roughing up Kishor and his supporters at the protest site and claimed that the Jan Suraaj founder was mistreated during his arrest.
Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh countered the charges of overreach, saying “Prashant Kishor and others were staging an illegal sit-in at the restricted area in Gandhi Maidan. Despite notices and repeated requests to shift the protest to Gardanibagh, they refused to comply. An FIR was lodged and he was arrested on January 6 along with some supporters.”
“Kishor is in good health and will be presented before the court following due procedure,” he told the newsmen.
Kishor’s arrest has also created a flutter in Bihar’s political circles with ruling party leaders justifying police action while some others expressing reservations over it.
Bihar is witnessing a flurry of protests for more than a fortnight over irregularities in the BPSC preliminary examinations. After Kishor’s arrest, his supporters have vowed to intensify the movement. They have accused Nitish government of suppressing dissent through force and have pledged to continue their agitation until their demands are met.
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