Tutor and YouTuber Khan Sir being detained after he expressed support to the protesting BPSC aspirants and joined the demonstration near Gardani Bagh, demanding that the BPSC chairman issue a statement ruling out the use of the 'normalisation process' for the BPSC Preliminary Examination scheduled for December 13 and extend the examination date, in Patna, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
The Bihar Public Service Commission on Saturday urged the Patna district administration to take strong action against those who had instigated aspirants to hold protests against an alleged change in rules for the upcoming examination by spreading “misinformation”.
The protesters were demanding that the BPSC preliminary examination be conducted on December 13 in the 'one shift, one paper' format, rather than using the 'normalisation of marks' process.
Normalisation equalises scores from examinations held in multiple shifts using a statistical formula. BPSC already said that no changes will be made in the examination process and the old system of 'one shift, one paper' format will be used.
Protests in Bihar
Protests were held in the state capital a day ago and the police rounded up many of them who staged demonstration in prohibited areas, even as social media remained abuzz with rumours that two popular teachers of the aspirants were arrested.
Police denied that the two – YouTuber ‘Khan Sir’ and Motiur Rahman Khan, known as Guru Rahman - were arrested.
‘Khan Sir’ had said that he cannot disclose his real name because of certain rules of the institute with which he is associated.
Both Rahman and Khan have come out in support of the protesters, criticising the perceived lack of communication from BPSC and advocating for candidates' rights.
Was Khan sir arrested?
Patna Police on Saturday dismissed rumours about the arrest of Khan, stating that he had come to a police station on his own accord to express solidarity with protesters detained over an “illegal demonstration” near the BPSC office on Friday.
The police on Saturday also registered a case against the social media handle 'Khan Global Studies' for allegedly spreading misinformation about his arrest.
SP Central Sweety Sahrawat told PTI: “Investigators will try to find out who all were involved behind spreading wrong information about his arrest and also about his release (wrong information) today. It is baseless. He was neither arrested nor detained by the police at all”.
She clarified that Khan had come to Gardani Bagh police station after meeting protesters in the locality where they were staging a dharna on Friday evening.
"He was repeatedly asked to leave the police station. On this, he requested the personnel to drop him in a police vehicle near his car parked near Atal Path. As requested, he was taken in the police vehicle to the spot where his car was parked. That’s all," she said.
Khan openly supported the agitating BPSC aspirants following the lathi-charge in Patna on Friday. He reached the dharna site in the Gardani Bagh locality in Patna to express their solidarity with the agitators.
Police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the large group of protesting aspirants near the BPSC office in Patna, who were demanding withdrawal of "changes" to the rules for the 70th BPSC Preliminary Examination scheduled for December 13.
On Saturday, Khan was not available for his comments as he was unwell and admitted in a private hospital in Patna.
Police on Friday registered a case against agitating students who attempted to block the movement of traffic on Bailey Road near the BPSC office and arrested student leader Dilip Kumar for attempting to organise a protest in the restricted area.
Khan and Rahman on Friday demanded that a statement be issued by the BPSC chairman ruling out the use of the 'normalisation process' for the examination, and extend the examination date as many aspirants faced technical issues while applying.
With DH Web Desk inputs