PATNA: Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor who was arrested during his fast-unto-death protest at Gandhi Maidan in the state capital since January 2 was sent to jail on Monday after he refused to sign a bail bond following his arrest.
In a pre-dawn crackdown, police arrested Kishor who started his fast-unto-death in support of Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) candidates demanding the cancellation of the 70th combined competitive (preliminary) examination and re-test given allegations of a question paper leak and other irregularities.
Patna district administration had termed the protest illegal as it was being held in a restricted area. Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh has said that repeated notices were issued to Jan Suraaj Party leader Prashant Kishor, urging him and his supporters to relocate the demonstration to Gardani Bagh, the designated protest site, but the latter paid no heed.
At around 4 am on Monday, a police team reached the protest site and lifted him in an ambulance and was later detained at a police station in Patna rural. He was later escorted to the court where he was produced before the chief judicial magistrate.
Kishor was granted bail with a condition not to repeat the offence in future, which the Jan Suraaj Party leader denied. He didn't sign the bail bond of Rs 25,000 and was finally sent to a 14-day judicial custody in the Beur central jail in Patna.
Kishor has been accused of violating prohibitory order by turning down repeated requests of the district administration, causing obstruction in the discharge of official duty and sitting on an indefinite hunger strike without prior permission from the authorities concerned.
Later talking to the media outside the court premises, Kishor said that he would continue his agitation in the jail premises and would not bother about its consequences.
"I have done nothing wrong. My agitation was peaceful. Holding peaceful demonstrations or sitting on dharna or fast-unto-death are our rights," he asserted. He, however, dismissed the report of slapping by the police in the course of removing him from the protest site near Gandhi Statue at Gandhi Maidan.
"Yes, their behaviour was not well later in the day when I refused to allow a medical check at Fatuha community hospital before being taken to the court," he told the media.
Kishor reiterated his resolve to continue his agitation till the demands of the BPSC candidates for cancellation of the examination and retest were conceded. At the same time, he urged workers of the party and youths not to confront the police and the protest was not against the police machinery.
"Our fight is against the NDA government (in Bihar), which believes in suppressing the voices of the people. But they are under the shadow of illusion. People will uproot the Nitish-led NDA government in the upcoming assembly polls in the state," he asserted.
Around 4.83 lakh candidates appeared at the 70th Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination held at 922 examination centres across the state on December 13. The candidates are demanding cancellation of the examination alleging question paper leak and other irregularities.