"Questions can't be silenced by batons": Rahul Gandhi slams BJP govt, backs Bihar students protesting BPSC exam issues

New Delhi [India], August 26 (ANI): Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday backed students protesting over alleged irregularities in Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examinations, saying that "questions cannot be silenced by batons" and demanding accountability from the state government.
Tensions escalated in Patna on Tuesday as police deployed water cannons to disperse students marching towards Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister's residence to protest, demanding the cancellation of the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, "The question posed by students in Bihar is straightforward: Why are there irregularities in recruitment exams? Why is there no action regarding allegations of paper leaks? And for how long will the future of the youth be toyed with?"
Gandhi said the controversy surrounding BPSC examinations was not new, adding that students had been raising concerns over the recruitment process, exam patterns, delays and lack of transparency for a long time.
"Instead of providing answers, what is the government doing? It is using batons and water cannons. It is detaining students. In Siwan, there were even reports of AK-47s being fired at protesters," he said.
The Congress leader further alleged that the issue was not only about police action but also about the approach of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government towards students' concerns.
"This is not merely a question of police action; it is a question of the mindset of the BJP government. Lacking answers, the government is using the police as a tool to evade accountability," Gandhi said.
He further added, "The BJP government must understand this: questions cannot be silenced by batons. One cannot snatch away someone's future through intimidation. The students of Bihar will continue to ask questions. And now, they demand not just answers, but accountability."
The BPSC examination controversy has triggered protests by students in Bihar. The students staged the demonstration demanding the cancellation of the 70th BPSC examination over alleged irregularities.
The agitation focused heavily on the proposed Teacher Recruitment Examination - Fourth Phase (TRE-4), with students objecting to the proposal of conducting the TRE-4 exams in two phases across the state while demanding the immediate release of the official TRE-4 advertisement.
The Opposition slammed the State government as Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav wrote a letter to Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, requesting immediate administrative engagement and a resolution without ignoring the students' concerns. (ANI)