Tejashwi Yadav calls Raj Bhavan march on Aug 19 over Siwan student firing
Synopsis
Tejashwi Yadav has called a Raj Bhavan march for 19 August, turning the Siwan student-protest firing — where an AK-47 was allegedly deployed for crowd control — into the sharpest opposition challenge to the Bihar government in months. With demands ranging from a judicial inquiry to the suspension of the Siwan SP, the march signals a broad coalition of student, youth, and opposition forces.
Key Takeaways
Tejashwi Yadav announced a march to Raj Bhavan, Patna on 19 August over the Siwan student-protest firing .
He demanded disclosure of the full chain of command behind the deployment of an AK-47 during the protest.
Yadav alleged three people from Siwan were injured by gunfire and that CM Samrat Choudhary did not visit them at Medanta Hospital .
He accused Union Minister Kiren Rijiju of misleading Parliament by denying any firing occurred, while the Bihar government's own affidavit reportedly acknowledged it.
The RJD leader demanded suspension — not merely transfer — of Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
He also visited the Gardanibagh protest site to meet candidates agitating over the TRE-4 recruitment process.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) National Working President and Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday, 18 August announced that the party will lead a march to Raj Bhavan (Lok Bhavan) in Patna on Wednesday, 19 August, demanding accountability over the Siwan student-protest firing. Addressing a press conference at his residence on Polo Road, Yadav appealed to students, youth, and the general public to join the mobilisation.
Siwan Firing: Questions Raised
Yadav made the Siwan firing the centrepiece of his political offensive, demanding that the full chain of command behind the deployment of an AK-47 during a student protest be disclosed. He raised a series of pointed questions: who authorised the firing on students; from which police unit and armoury the AK-47 was issued; who sanctioned its use for crowd control; which unit the accused constable belonged to; and why the Siwan Superintendent of Police Puran Kumar Jha has not been suspended.
Yadav alleged that three people from Siwan were injured by gunfire during the protests, and claimed that Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary did not visit them during their treatment at Medanta Hospital in Patna. He also demanded that the Bihar government order a judicial inquiry into the incident.
Rijiju Accused of Misleading Parliament
The RJD leader levelled a serious charge against Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, alleging that Rijiju had misled Parliament by stating that no firing had taken place. Yadav claimed that the Bihar government subsequently acknowledged the firing in its own affidavit — a contradiction, he argued, that demands parliamentary scrutiny. He accused both the Centre and the state government of attempting to politicise the student issue and mislead the public.
Broader Grievances: Paper Leaks, Unemployment, Corruption
Yadav linked the Siwan controversy to a wider catalogue of alleged governance failures in Bihar. He alleged that the state has become 'the capital of examination paper leaks' and cited persistent challenges in unemployment, migration, education, healthcare, and corruption after what he described as more than two decades of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rule.
He also cited alleged irregularities including the Srijan scam, the dustbin scam, and the estimate scam, accusing the Bihar government of inadequate action on corruption. He further alleged that authorities were attempting to weaken the 19 August mobilisation by arresting student leaders ahead of the march.
Gardanibagh Visit and TRE-4 Agitation
Following the press conference, Yadav visited the Gardanibagh protest site, where candidates involved in the TRE-4 recruitment agitation were demonstrating. He met protesting students and leaders, urging the Bihar government to immediately address their demands. On the Siwan SP, he was explicit: a transfer alone would not be sufficient — formal action is required.
What the March Signals
The 19 August Raj Bhavan march is shaping up as a broader Opposition mobilisation anchored in student grievances, examination transparency, unemployment, and police accountability, with the Siwan firing serving as its central political flashpoint. Whether the government responds with engagement or further detentions will determine the march's political fallout in the days ahead.
Point of View
Examination fraud, unemployment — that cuts across caste lines and into student communities the NDA has cultivated. Tejashwi's decision to anchor the march on an AK-47 deployment question is tactically sharp: it is a specific, verifiable demand that is difficult to deflect with procedural answers. The allegation that Rijiju misled Parliament, if substantiated by the Bihar government's own affidavit, elevates this beyond state politics. What is notably absent is any government counter-narrative; silence at this stage tends to validate the opposition's framing on the street.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Tejashwi Yadav leading a march to Raj Bhavan on 19 August?
Tejashwi Yadav announced the march to demand accountability over the Siwan student-protest firing, where an AK-47 was allegedly deployed for crowd control. He is also calling for a judicial inquiry and the suspension of the Siwan Superintendent of Police.
What happened during the Siwan student protest firing?
According to Yadav, three people from Siwan were injured by gunfire during a student protest. He alleged that an AK-47 was used during crowd control, raising questions about who authorised its deployment and from which armoury it was issued.
What action has Tejashwi Yadav demanded against the Siwan SP?
Yadav demanded formal action — specifically suspension — against Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha, stating that a mere transfer of the officer would not be adequate accountability for the firing incident.
What did Tejashwi Yadav allege about Union Minister Kiren Rijiju?
Yadav alleged that Rijiju misled Parliament by stating no firing had taken place during the Siwan protests, while the Bihar government's own affidavit subsequently acknowledged that firing did occur.
What other issues did Tejashwi Yadav raise at the press conference?
Beyond the Siwan firing, Yadav raised concerns about examination paper leaks, unemployment, recruitment irregularities, and alleged scams including the Srijan scam, dustbin scam, and estimate scam, framing them as evidence of governance failure under NDA rule in Bihar.
