Video Inputs: Mahip Raj, Tanveer Alam
Video Producer: Naman Shah
Video Editor: Harpal Rawat
Patna Police on Monday, 22 August, lathicharged and deployed water cannons on Bihar Teacher Eligibility Test (BTET) and Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) candidates who were protesting against the delay in issuing of the official notification regarding their appointment.
Several protestors were injured and detained during the protests, while the crucial Dak Bungalow intersection in the city was congested for four hours.
The teachers' job aspirants, who have been protesting against their unemployment for the last three years, flooded the streets in Patna since 10 am on Monday demanding that the authorities complete the due process regarding the seventh phase of employment.
Although the demonstrators said that they were ruthlessly beaten up despite peacefully protesting, Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh claimed that only "mild use of force was resorted to."
"Mild use of force was resorted to as they refused to disperse despite an offer that a five-member delegation can visit the Raj Bhavan along with a magistrate and submit a memorandum," he said, according to news agency PTI.
"A case will be lodged against those taking part in the demonstration as well. No processions are allowed at the Dak Bungalow crossing and hence, the protesters will be booked under relevant sections," he added.
Why Are the Candidates Protesting?
The agitators, while asserting that they were unemployed despite qualifying the two eligibility tests, claimed that the Education Ministry had declared in writing that the notification would be issued latest by 7 August.
Alleging that 50,000 out of 90,000 teachers' posts were vacant, they appealed to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, to fasten up the process.
"When we met Tejashwi Ji before he became deputy CM, he had told us that the situation would be better once the government in Bihar changed. Now that it has, why are they not doing anything about our distress?" the protestors asked.
Responding to the protestors, Tejashwi Yadav, who stepped in as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's deputy after the recent political upheaval in the state, said that the new government was working towards providing 20 lakh jobs to the youth.
"The BJP has wasted two years but now we are working. Please don't panic and have patience," he said in a statement.
The demonstrators further said that they were promised in 2021 that the notification would come out by January this year.
When that did not happen, the eligible candidates protested in May, following which they were reassured that the process would be completed by August.
The candidates took to the streets on Monday when that promise too went unfulfilled.
The teachers' union leading the protests added that this time the demonstration will not be rolled back until their demands were met.
Police Thrashed Peaceful Protestor Holding Tricolour
Meanwhile, a video clip of an official raining blows on a young protester, holding a tricolour, went viral on social media.
State Congress Spokesman Asit Nath Tiwari, whose party is an ally of the ruling coalition, condemning the episode said that "beating up a young man who posed no menace is unacceptable."
The administration has set up a two-member inquiry committee to look into the allegations and examine the video footage, the District Magistrate said.
“The committee will submit its report in two days and action may be taken accordingly,” he said.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)