Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has taken cognisance of a viral video involving a Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination controller and directed the General Administration Department to suspend the concerned official. The action comes after a video of BPSC Examination Controller Rajesh Kumar Singh went viral on social media following an objectionable remark he allegedly made during a press conference.
The controversy erupted after journalists questioned Rajesh Kumar Singh about the protests by students in Patna's Gardanibagh. While responding to questions about the students' agitation, Singh reportedly used the Hindi proverb, "Hathi chale baazar, Kutte bhaunke hazar (Elephants walk through the market while a thousand dogs bark)." The remark was widely criticised as being insensitive towards the protesting students and quickly spread on social media. However, Singh had later apologised for his statement.
CM Samrat Choudhary orders suspension
Taking note of the viral video and the controversy surrounding the statement, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary directed the General Administration Department to suspend the concerned officer. The Chief Minister's intervention comes amid heightened attention around the concerns raised by BPSC aspirants and the handling of their protests. The government has now ordered action against the official over his controversial remarks.
Students have been protesting in Gardanibagh
It is to be noted here that BPSC aspirants have been holding protests in Gardanibagh over issues related to irregularities in the examination process. Their demonstrations have drawn considerable attention, with students raising questions and demanding action on matters concerning the recruitment examination.
BPSC TRE-4 exam schedule announced amid student protests
Earlier on August 18, the Bihar Public Service Commission announced the schedule for Teachers' Recruitment Exams (TRE 4), even as opposition leaders like Tejashwi Yadav and Dipankar Bhattacharya threw their weight behind aspirants staging a protest to demand timely conduct of the tests.
A BPSC notification, asking aspirants to submit online applications for 32,388 teaching posts from September 1, came within five hours after the students, demonstrating at Gardani Bagh, threatened to gherao the education minister if the exam schedule was not announced "within 24 hours". Minutes before the notification came out, the protesting students were joined by Yadav, the RJD working president, and Bhattacharya, the CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary.
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