Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor, detained during his hunger strike at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, was sent to jail today even after being granted bail by a Patna court. Mr. Kishor, founder of Jan Suraaj, refused to sign the bail bond, citing its conditions as the reason.
“I was granted bail, but the order stated that I should not do any wrongdoings. I rejected it and chose to go to jail,” Mr. Kishor explained outside the court. However, he was later released from police custody following the bail order from a Patna civil court.
Mr. Kishor had been on an indefinite hunger strike for five days, demanding the cancellation of a Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination over allegations of a question paper leak.
Police Detention and Clash with Supporters
Early this morning, around 4 a.m., police detained Mr. Kishor from Gandhi Maidan, citing the protest’s illegality as it was held in a restricted area. The Patna District Magistrate stated that repeated notices had been issued, urging Mr. Kishor to move the demonstration to Gardani Bagh, a designated protest site.
During the detention, a minor clash broke out between the police and Mr. Kishor’s supporters. However, Mr. Kishor acknowledged that the police’s overall behavior was not inappropriate.
“There were reports that a policeman slapped me. No one slapped me. One of my aides held my hand to stop me from leaving, and a police official tried to remove his hand. I have no complaints about the police’s behavior,” he clarified.
Medical Examination Controversy
Following his detention, Mr. Kishor was taken to Patna AIIMS for a medical check-up but was not admitted, a decision he said was unexplained. The police then attempted to take him to other hospitals, including PMCH and NMCH, but ended up at Fatuha’s community center.
Mr. Kishor refused to consent to a medical examination, arguing that he had not engaged in any criminal activity. He accused the police of trying to coerce doctors into issuing a certificate, which the doctors declined.
From 5 a.m. to 11 a.m., Mr. Kishor said he was kept in a police vehicle, moved to various locations, and given vague explanations about crowd management for the delays.
Exam Retest and Legal Action
The BPSC conducted a retest on January 4 for 12,012 candidates affected by the controversy, but only 5,943 appeared. The original exam on December 13 faced widespread criticism due to allegations of malpractice.
The issue has now reached the Supreme Court, where petitioners are seeking the cancellation of the December exam and action against officials accused of using excessive force on protestors.
Despite his release, Prashant Kishor’s protest continues to draw attention to the alleged irregularities in the BPSC examination process and the handling of dissent by authorities.
Sources By Agencies
