Bihar government using police to evade accountability, says Rahul Gandhi

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday (August 26, 2026), accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Bihar government of using the police to suppress student protests instead of addressing allegations of irregularities in recruitment examinations.

The Congress leader’s remarks came amid a controversy over a viral video of a six-year-old boy who was taken away by the police during a student protest in Patna. 

Though social media posts claimed that the child had been “arrested” for participating in the protest, the police said he had been taken to the police station for his “own safety” and was later handed over to his mother, a domestic worker.

In a post on social media platform X in Hindi, Mr. Gandhi said students in Bihar were asking simple questions — why were there irregularities in recruitment examinations, why had no action been taken on allegations of paper leaks, and how long would the government continue to “tamper with the future” of the youth.

“The controversy over BPSC (Bihar Public Service Commission) examinations is not new. Students have been protesting for a long time over the recruitment process, examination pattern, delays and transparency. But instead of answering, what is the government doing? It is using batons and water cannons and taking students into custody,” he said.

Referring to an incident in Siwan earlier, Mr. Gandhi alleged even an AK-47 rifle was used against protesters.

“This is not merely a question of police action; it is a question of the mindset of the BJP government, which has no answers. That is why it is turning the police into a weapon to evade accountability,” he said.

The government should understand that “questions do not stop with batons”, he said. 

“You cannot snatch away someone’s future by instilling fear. The students of Bihar will keep asking questions. And now, they do not just want answers; they demand accountability,” he said.

The remarks came a day after thousands of students clashed with the Bihar Police in Patna after being stopped from marching to the Chief Minister’s residence. The protesters faced water cannons and lathi charge, and some allegedly hurled stones.

Most of the protesters were aspirants for the Teachers’ Recruitment Examination to be conducted by the BPSC in September. They are demanding that the written examination be conducted in a single stage rather than through the Preliminary and Mains examinations.

A section of the protesters has also sought the cancellation of the BPSC Combined Competitive Examination held earlier this year, alleging irregularities. Left-wing student groups, including the Students’ Federation of India  and Democratic Youth Federation of India, also joined the march from Gandhi Maidan.

(With inputs from PTI)