Patna: In an apparent dig at Jan Suraaj Party, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav accused the fledgling outfit floated by former political strategist Prashant Kishor of acting as the 'B team' of the Nitish Kumar-led ruling alliance in Bihar.
In a video message on Sunday, hours after police used water cannons to disperse students seeking cancellation of a recent BPSC exam, the former deputy CM, in an apparent reference to the IPAC founder and his party, said the protesters were misled into marching towards Gandhi Maidan.
"This movement was started by students. The nearly two-week-long dharna at Gardani Bagh, where I also had gone recently, had caused the government to tremble. At this moment, came some elements acting as the government's B team," alleged Yadav, who is now the leader of the opposition.
"The protesters were misled into marching towards Gandhi Maidan, despite warnings from the administration against doing so. And, when the time to face lathi charge and water cannons came, those who had offered to lead the protests, chose to run away," he added.
Prashant Kishor, though not present at the scene when police resorted to the use of force, had addressed the protesters earlier on Sunday alongside his supporters. This has resulted in an FIR being lodged against Kishor and Jan Suraaj Party president Manoj Bharti, along with several others.
The protesters, who were joined by Kishor earlier in the day at Gandhi Maidan, attempted to march towards the chief minister’s residence in the evening, prompting police action, said Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Yadav pledged his party’s support for the protesters, assuring them of political backing in their demand for the cancellation of the Combined Competitive Exams held on December 13. The exam, conducted at over 900 centres across the state, had seen participation from five lakh candidates.
"But you must not get swayed by empty promises. Stick to your guns. January 4 is still a few days away. There is time enough to bring the government to its knees. It is nonsensical to say the BPSC does not come under the government. Its chairman is an appointee of the chief minister, who also happens to hold the Home portfolio, the department which controls the police," said Yadav.
Notably, the BPSC has decided to hold re-examinations for more than 10,000 candidates who were assigned Bapu Pariksha Parisar, an examination centre in the city where hundreds had boycotted the tests alleging that question papers had been leaked.
The BPSC rubbished the allegation and claimed the test was disrupted as part of a conspiracy to get the exam cancelled.