Patna: Widespread protests erupted across Bihar on Sunday as student organisations and political groups condemned the recent police lathicharge on teacher aspirants in Patna. Demonstrations took place in multiple cities, with activists raising slogans against the state government.
Protests in Patna
In Patna, student organisations gathered near the GPO roundabout around 4:30 PM to express solidarity with the teacher aspirants. Protesters raised slogans against the NDA government, demanding immediate action and justice for the injured candidates.
Similar Demonstrations Across Bihar
Similar protests were witnessed earlier in Samastipur, Buxar, Saharsa, Bhagalpur, and Rohtas. In these cities, activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) or CPI(ML), along with student groups, raised slogans against the government and condemned the police action.
Political Reactions
Leaders of CPI(ML) described the police action as “undemocratic,” alleging that the students were protesting peacefully when they were lathicharged on May 8. The CPI(ML), All India Students’ Association (AISA), and Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) jointly condemned the incident and termed the lathicharge a “conspiracy to suppress the democratic voice of the youth.”
Demands of the Organisations
The three organisations put forward several demands, including:
- Immediate announcement of TRE-4 vacancies.
- Acceptance of all legitimate demands of the candidates.
- Strict action against the police personnel responsible for the lathicharge.
- Proper medical treatment and compensation for the injured students.
Police Action
Meanwhile, police on Saturday arrested four candidates and sent them to jail on charges of rioting and stone-pelting during a protest near Gandhi Maidan on Friday. The protesters had been demanding the issuance of the TRE-4 notification and appointment of candidates through a single examination, as done earlier.
An FIR was registered at Gandhi Maidan police station against four named persons and around 5,000 unidentified people in connection with the protest.
