Page 25 - Bihar

Bihar's exam transparency questioned as protests erupt ahead of polls

After protests, which resulted in a police lathi charge, the BPSC assured candidates that the exam would be conducted in a single shift

Tight security arrangements in place for BPSC re-examination today

District Magistrate (DM) Chandrashekhar Singh spoke on the protests near the Gandhi statue in Gandhi Maidan and said that it was a restricted area

Will Nitish Kumar jump ship again? Bihar CM reacts to frenemy Lalu's offer

Nitish Kumar was asked about Lalu Yadav's 'our doors are open' remark, where the latter offered his former ally to join hands with INDIA bloc again

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar owns movable, immovable assets worth Rs 1.64 crore

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar owns movable and immovable assets worth Rs 1.64 crore, according to his latest disclosure of assets. According to details of assets of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues uploaded on the Bihar government website on December 31, Kumar has Rs 21,052 in cash and nearly Rs 60,811.56 in different banks. The Nitish Kumar government has made it mandatory for all cabinet ministers to disclose their assets and liabilities on the last day of every calendar year. As per the disclosures, several ministers are richer than the CM. According to the disclosures made by the CM on the website of the Cabinet Secretariat Department, Kumar has total movable properties worth around Rs 16,97,741.56, while he has immovable assets worth Rs 1.48 crore. The CM has only one residential flat at a cooperative housing society at Dwarka in New Delhi. In 2023, the CM had movable and immovable assets worth Rs 16,484,632.69. According to disclosures, Bihar Deputy CM, Samr

'Where were you': Prashant Kishor faces backlash from BPSC protesters

BPSC students protest: BPSC aspirants in Patna asked Prashant Kishor to leave the protest site, citing his absence during the Bihar Police lathicharge on Sunday night at Gardanibagh

Tejashwi accuses Prashant Kishor's outfit of acting as Nitish's 'B-team'

In an apparent dig at Jan Suraaj Party, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav accused the fledgling outfit floated by former political strategist Prashant Kishor of acting as 'B team' of the Nitish Kumar-led ruling alliance in Bihar. In a video message late on Sunday, hours after police used water cannons to disperse students seeking cancellation of a recent BPSC exam, the former deputy CM, in an apparent reference to the IPAC founder and his party, said the protesters were "misled" into marching towards Gandhi Maidan. "This movement was started by students. The nearly two week-long dharna at Gardani Bagh, where I also had gone recently, had caused the government to tremble. At this moment, came some elements acting as the government's B team," alleged Yadav, who is now the leader of the opposition. "The protesters were misled into marching towards Gandhi Maidan, despite warnings from the administration against doing so. And, when the time to face lathi charge and water cannons came, those who

Lathi charge on peaceful student protesters attack on democracy: Kejriwal

In a post on the social media platform X, Kejriwal highlighted the incident as an attack on democracy and criticised the government's response to student voices

BPSC aspirants, police clash in Patna; case filed against Prashant Kishor

Thousands of BPSC aspirants protested at Patna's Gandhi Maidan, demanding a re-examination of the 70th prelims; police used lathi-charge, water cannons as protesters broke barricades

BPSC exam stalemate continues as protesting students reject offer for talks

The row over the alleged Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) question paper leak seemed to be heading for an impasse with protesting students on Saturday rejecting the Patna district administration's offer for talks with authorities in the commission and insisting on an appointment with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. In hardening of stance, Patna District Magistrate (DM) Chandrasekhar Singh also said he would not allow the 'Chatra Sansad' (students' congregation), called by Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Sunday and warned of action against coaching institute owners who were found to be involved, in any manner, in the protests henceforth. Kishor on Saturday went to Gardani Bagh where BPSC aspirants have been staging a dharna for the last several days. Addressing the protesters, Kishor said, "Before coming here, I had a long discussion with people from the education field. I must say that irregularities and paper leaks have now become the norm as far as BPSC exams are concerne

Despite widespread protests, BPSC rules out cancellation of Dec 13 exam

Unfazed by mounting pressure, the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on Friday made it clear that the 70th Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 held on December 13 across the state will not be cancelled over allegations of question paper leak. Speaking to reporters here, BPSC Examination Controller Rajesh Kumar Singh said, "There is no question of cancelling the entire BPSC exam held on December 13. The BPSC decided to cancel the preliminary examination held at Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre only due to disruption created by a group of unruly aspirants as part of the conspiracy to disrupt the exam. The re-examination will be held on January 4 at some other centre in the city." "We have information that a group of private coaching institutes are instigating aspirants... and they are mobilising students to raise the demand for the cancellation of the entire exam. Their demand is baseless," Singh said. The BPSC examination controller's assertion comes

Priyanka Gandhi slams BJP over police action against job seekers in Patna

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday slammed the BJP over the police action on job seekers in Patna, saying the ruling party's only vision is to save its chair and whoever demands employment is oppressed. Chaos erupted during a protest in Patna on Wednesday over the alleged leak of a question paper of the December 13 combined preliminary exam conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), prompting the state police to baton charge job aspirants. Job seekers claimed that several protesters were injured during the police action but a senior officer denied the charge. "Lathi charge on youths who had their hands folded is the height of cruelty. In BJP rule, youths demanding employment are beaten with sticks. Be it UP, Bihar or Madhya Pradesh - if youths raise their voice, they are brutally beaten," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on her WhatsApp channel. "It is the government's job to think about the future of the youth of the world's youngest country and

Bihar Police deny any 'injury' to BPSC aspirants protesting in Patna

Officials also claimed that coaching teachers were instigating aspirants to protest and named several social media accounts that were allegedly misleading the students

CM Nitish Kumar launches projects worth Rs 200 cr in East Champaran

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for a host of developmental projects worth Rs 201.12 crore in East Champaran district. Kumar, during the second day of his Pragati Yatra', visited Sundarpur village under the Kesaria assembly seat and virtually laid the foundation stones for the schemes. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), He inaugurated the newly constructed building of a government school in Sundarpur. Kumar also handed over the management of a pond constructed under the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali scheme to JEEViKA Didis' (women associated with self-help groups under the JEEViKA project). He distributed symbolic cheques of financial assistance of Rs 3.35 crore to 1,26,354 JEEViKA Didis'. The chief minister directed officials concerned for immediate construction of two bridges over the Dhanauti river in Majuraha and Budhi Gandak in Ibrahimpur area, respectively, in the district. Besides, he asked offici

President appoints new Guvs for Kerala, Bihar, Odisha, Mizoram, Manipur

Former Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has been appointed the governor of strife-torn Manipur, ex-Army chief Vijay Kumar Singh is the new Mizoram governor while Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has been shifted to Bihar as part of gubernatorial appointments effected by President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday. Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has been named the governor of Kerala in place of Khan, according to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Arif Mohammed Khan has been appointed as Bihar Governor, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement. President Murmu has accepted the resignation of Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, it said. Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati has been appointed as the new Odisha Governor in place of Das, the statement said. These appointments will take effect from the dates they will assume charge of their respective offices, it added.

Nitish's manoeuvering alters Bihar's political scene ahead of 2025 polls

Upheaval jolted Bihar just weeks into 2024, as Nitish Kumar, the state's longest-serving chief minister, made yet another dramatic volte-face to realign with his old ally, the BJP. The septuagenarian, renowned for his uncanny ability to shift political allegiances at will while maintaining his grip on power, abandoned the INDIA bloc he had diligently helped form, relinquishing his hopes of securing a "national role" in politics. This unexpected move sent shockwaves through the political landscape, signalling yet another twist in Kumar's ever-changing political journey. Perhaps sensing in advance that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be diminished but not vanquished, Kumar agreed to be an ally on whose support BJP now depends for survival in power at the Centre. In the bargain, the 73-year-old leader has earned the backing of the BJP and all its junior allies in the state where assembly polls are due in 2025. Kumar enjoys the clout even though skeptics such as political ...

NDA to contest 2025 Bihar polls under Nitish, PM Modi: Deputy CM Choudhary

The NDA will contest the assembly polls in Bihar next year under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary said on Sunday. "There is no confusion," he said during a press conference at the BJP headquarters when asked to comment on speculation that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) could do a rethink on projecting Kumar as its leader in the polls. He was responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent interview to a news channel in which he was asked if the NDA could go to the polls in Bihar without declaring a chief ministerial candidate, like it recently did with great success in Maharashtra. Shah, a former BJP president who is still regarded as the party's principal strategist, had replied after a pause, "We will sit together and decide. We will let you know after we have made a decision." The cryptic response had led to furious speculation that the BJP could insist on not ...

Bihar receives record Rs 1.81 trillion investment proposals, says minister

"Ab humara samay hai" - The time for Bihar has come, said state's Industries and Tourism Minister Nitish Mishra after it received a record Rs 1.81 lakh crore worth of investment proposals in its only second investor meet. Mishra said the focus will now shift to providing all the promised support to the investors so that the units could start quickly. "I am very happy personally and very satisfied, and I am thankful to my team in the industry department who has been for the last few months working on their toes, holding a series of events in different states, interacting with the business community, trying to pitch Bihar and the advantage Bihar," he said. The state signed with an array of companies' memorandum of understanding (MoUs), committing Rs 1.81 lakh crore of investment at the second edition of the Bihar Business Connect investor summit last week. "To be very honest, even we were not expecting this kind of figure," he said. "From now on it will be the emergence of a new ...

Bengal, Bihar most impacted by arsenic contamination: Centre to NGT

West Bengal and Bihar are impacted the most by arsenic contamination of groundwater, the Centre has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The tribunal is hearing the issue of rice being susceptible to arsenic contamination because it absorbs more of the toxic semi-metallic element from water and soil. Earlier, it sought a reply from the Centre on it. In an order dated December 16, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel noted that the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had filed its reply after seeking inputs from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). "States of West Bengal and Bihar are reported to be most affected by arsenic contamination of groundwater irrigation by contaminated groundwater is the major route for arsenic entry into agricultural soil which ultimately leads to its entry into the food chain," the Centre said in its reply. There can be a "significant build-up" of the toxic element in r

NDA leaders back CM Nitish Kumar as face for upcoming Bihar elections

The ruling NDA in Bihar on Friday dismissed speculations that the coalition could do a rethink on projecting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as its leader in the assembly polls due next year. Speaking to the media after a meeting held here to bring about better coordination at the grassroots level, state presidents of parties like the BJP, Kumar's JD(U) and Union minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) also rubbished suggestions triggered by Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent statement. Dilip Jaiswal, state minister and Bihar BJP chief said, "We should understand that Amit Shah was trying to underscore that he was a karyakarta' (worker) of a party in which big decisions are taken by the parliamentary board". "But, the leadership role of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had been a given for long. There is no question of going back on that, asserted Jaiswal. He was responding to Shah's recent interview to a news channel in which he was asked whether the NDA could go to po

Amit Shah applauds SSB, credits for securing borders, combating Naxalism

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday lauded the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) for its pivotal role in securing the country's borders with friendly nations such as Nepal and Bhutan, combating Naxalism in Bihar and Jharkhand, and curbing illegal activities. Addressing the 61st Raising Day celebrations of the SSB in Siliguri, Shah said, "The Sashastra Seema Bal has played a key role in securing our borders with friendly nations such as Nepal and Bhutan. Its alertness and presence have ensured a sense of security in the Siliguri Corridor and the Eastern region." Highlighting the SSB's role in tackling left-wing extremism, Shah noted, "The SSB has played an important role in ending the menace of Naxalism in Bihar and Jharkhand. Their proactive approach, in coordination with the CRPF and local police forces, has significantly weakened Naxal activities in Chhattisgarh, making the region Naxal-free after almost four decades." Shah commended the SSB for its unique initiatives to foster cultur