Patna: Patna Police have refuted claims that Faizal Khan, popularly known as Khan Sir, was detained during protests by Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) candidates on Friday. The rumours of his detention surfaced after he joined the protest alongside another prominent educator, Guru Rahman, to express solidarity with the agitating aspirants, an IANS report said.
The protests erupted following allegations of irregularities and delays in the BPSC preliminary examination process. Hundreds of students surrounded the BPSC office in Patna, demanding transparency and fairness. Tensions escalated, leading to a police lathi-charge, which left several student leaders injured.
Khan Sir and Guru Rahman visited the dharna site in Gardanibagh to extend their support to the students. Both educators condemned the use of force and called for immediate reforms in the examination process. Khan Sir urged the BPSC to extend the application deadline for aspirants whose submissions were delayed due to server issues. He also demanded the cancellation of the controversial normalisation process, advocating for a transparent and equitable system.
“Candidates should be given sufficient time to prepare, considering the disruptions caused by delays. A fair examination process is crucial to avoid distress among aspirants,” Khan Sir said.
Guru Rahman echoed similar concerns, labelling the lathi-charge as “anarchy” and a “grave injustice.” He demanded a written commitment from the BPSC to scrap the normalisation process and highlighted the plight of around 80,000 candidates whose applications were incomplete due to technical glitches.
Amid the chaos, rumours circulated that Khan Sir and student leader Dilip Kumar had been arrested. However, Patna SSP Rajiv Mishra clarified that Khan Sir had not been detained. “He voluntarily came to the Gardani Bagh police station to inquire about detained students. We repeatedly asked him to leave, but he chose to stay,” Mishra stated.
The BPSC dismissed allegations of irregularities in the normalisation process, calling them baseless. Despite the official denials, the protests underscore the growing frustration among students over competitive examination processes and the influence of educators like Khan Sir in voicing their concerns.
The situation remains tense but under control as authorities work to address the grievances raised by the students.
