(Image source from: x.com/jansuraajonline)

Political strategist and politician Prashant Kishor has started an open-ended hunger strike, demanding the cancellation of the Bihar Civil Services (BPSC) examination. Thousands of candidates have been protesting for over a week, alleging a question paper leak in the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination (CCE), 2024, conducted by the BPSC. The candidates want the examination to be re-conducted and a meeting with Bihar's Chief Minister. Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, has expressed support for the protesting students and called for an end to corruption in Bihar's examinations. He had given the Bihar government a deadline of three days to address the demands of the BPSC aspirants, or he would lead the protests himself. A case has been filed against Kishor and others for allegedly inciting the student protests in Patna's Gandhi Maidan. The protesting students asked Kishor to leave the protest site on Monday, after accusing him of being absent during a police crackdown.

ध्वस्त शिक्षा और भ्रष्ट परीक्षा व्यवस्था के खिलाफ गांधी मैदान में गांधी मूर्ति के नीचे आमरण अनशन पर बैठे प्रशांत किशोर। pic.twitter.com/gbEehGZ7bJ

— Jan Suraaj (@jansuraajonline) January 2, 2025

The political leader Kishor criticized the authorities for their harsh actions against the student protesters. He claimed the students were leading the movement, as decided in a student parliament. Kishor said he left the protest site after advising the students to disperse, but the police still used force 45 minutes later. He condemned the police action and announced plans to take legal action, including filing a complaint and approaching human rights organizations. Kishor warned that if no resolution was reached, he would join the protest himself.