Our Correspondent / Patna
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday warned of a statewide agitation if the Bihar government fails to withdraw cases against student protesters and release those arrested during demonstrations over the alleged NEET paper leak controversy.
Addressing reporters in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav accused the Bihar government of reneging on what he described as an understanding that criminal cases against protesters would be withdrawn following the resolution of the nationwide movement.
He praised students for launching the agitation against the alleged examination paper leak, saying they had fought for their future and deserved public support. According to him, opposition parties had stood with the students throughout the protests.
Questioning the government’s action, Tejashwi said that if cases against protesters were to be withdrawn after the movement ended, there was no justification for arresting students and political leaders in Bihar. He alleged that hundreds of students had been detained across the state and booked under serious criminal charges despite the protests concluding.
The RJD leader said that several opposition legislators had also been detained, including his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav. He demanded the immediate withdrawal of all cases against student protesters and their release from jail.
“If the students and others arrested during the movement are not released and the cases are not withdrawn, we will launch a much bigger movement across Bihar,” Tejashwi warned.
Sharp Attack on Bihar Government
Tejashwi also launched a political attack on the Bihar government, accusing it of using the police to suppress democratic protests. He alleged that security forces acted harshly against students during demonstrations in several districts.
Referring to reports from Siwan, he claimed that police had fired at protesters and demanded action against the officers responsible. In a post on social media platform X, Tejashwi criticised the alleged use of live ammunition during the protests and called for an impartial investigation into the incident.
Tej Pratap Arrested After Bihar Bandh
Tej Pratap Yadav was arrested late Saturday after participating in the Bihar Bandh called in support of students protesting the alleged NEET paper leak. Earlier in the day, police had briefly detained him before releasing him. He was later arrested and sent to judicial custody.
During his detention, videos circulated on social media showing Tej Pratap hanging from the door of a police vehicle while declaring his support for the students. He said he stood “shoulder to shoulder” with them and was prepared to make any sacrifice for their rights.
Tej Pratap, a former Health Minister in the Nitish Kumar government, had recently appealed through social media for wider public participation in the Bihar protests.
Violence during Bihar Bandh
Although the student agitation was withdrawn after the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and subsequent discussions with the government, protests continued in parts of Bihar on July 25, with incidents of violence reported from several districts.
In Siwan, clashes between protesters and police escalated into violence. According to police, tear gas shells and baton charges were used to disperse demonstrators after stone-pelting and attacks on security personnel. Officials confirmed that firing took place during the confrontation, leaving several people injured.
Siwan Superintendent of Police Pooran Kumar Jha said police opened fire in self-defence after alleged armed elements among the crowd attacked security personnel. He added that authorities were investigating whether those injured were hit by police bullets or by shots fired during the clash.
Violent incidents were also reported from Chhapra, where protesters allegedly damaged police vehicles and hurled stones, prompting police to use force, including tear gas and baton charges, to restore order.
With Tejashwi Yadav now threatening a larger statewide agitation unless student protesters are released and criminal cases are withdrawn, the political fallout from the NEET paper leak protests is expected to remain a major issue in Bihar in the coming days.