Tejashwi Participates in Student Protests Over BPSC Exams, Leaders Criticize Political Interference

Patna, Dec 22 (NationPress) Tejashwi Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and a prominent leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), participated in the ongoing protests initiated by students who are advocating for the annulment of the recently held Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examinations. He has also expressed his support for their demands.

However, this has sparked indignation among certain student leaders who feel distressed by attempts to politicize the protests.

Student leader Dilip Kumar criticized political parties during a conversation with IANS, condemning their overt efforts to align with the student protests and subsequently ‘hijack’ the movement for their own political agendas.

The former Deputy CM visited the Gardanibagh area of the city, where a 24-hour protest is currently taking place, and voiced his solidarity with the candidates. The protests, led by students, aim to cancel the 70th Combined Competitive Exams (CCE), which occurred on December 13. Protesters argue that the examination process was plagued by numerous discrepancies and irregularities, raising serious concerns about the integrity of competitive exams administered by the BPSC.

Despite Tejashwi's involvement, many students remain dissatisfied; Dilip Kumar accused him and political factions of taking advantage of their struggle for political leverage.

Kumar remarked, "Whenever a party is in opposition, they come to support us. But when they are in power, they remain silent and allow lathi charges on peaceful protests."

He further criticized Tejashwi Yadav and other political leaders for their perceived hypocrisy, noting that during the tenure of the RJD in power, there were numerous incidents of examination paper leaks, including the 2023 constable recruitment paper and the BSSC CGL paper, with no actions taken.

Kumar alleged that political figures have effectively taken over the movement, transforming it into a 'political platform'.

"The movement, which initially began with candidates organizing through a Telegram group, has now become politicized following the involvement of leaders and teachers," he asserted.

Nevertheless, he highlighted that the principal protesters continue to concentrate on the matter of exam irregularities, with their primary demand being transparency and integrity in the competitive examinations.

Meanwhile, the ongoing controversy surrounding the BPSC exams has ignited a wider discussion regarding the influence of education mafias and the state’s capacity to guarantee fairness in public recruitment processes.