Patna, Aug 25 (IANS) Patna witnessed a tense day on Tuesday as student organisations protesting recruitment and examination issues joined farmers opposing the proposed Pataliputra Greenfield Satellite Township in demonstrations across the city.
Police erected barricades at several locations to prevent student protesters from marching towards Lok Bhavan.
Reacting to the police action, Bankipur MLA Prashant Kishor said recent events had demonstrated the strength of democracy. He argued that authorities now appeared to think twice before using force against protesters, describing this as a positive development.
Kishor urged the government to address what he termed the legitimate demands of students and farmers, saying such concerns could not simply be suppressed. He highlighted issues including alleged privatisation and commercialisation of education, the growing influence of coaching institutes, examination paper leaks, rising unemployment and dissatisfaction among youth.
He warned that failing to address these concerns could lead to larger student movements in the future.
When reporters told him student aspirants were looking for him, Kishor said he was already in Patna and regularly moving around the city.
Alongside the student protests, farmers from Punpun, Naubatpur, Masaurhi, Fatuha and surrounding areas demonstrated against the township project. Kishor backed their concerns, alleging that the government’s land policy could benefit major industrialists at farmers’ expense.
He claimed valuable agricultural land could be transferred at inadequate prices, arguing that the policy was difficult to implement in Bihar and warning that attempts to acquire large areas of productive land could lead to widespread unrest.
Farmers said their agricultural land was their primary source of livelihood and that they produced three crops a year. They argued that surrendering land would threaten their families’ ability to fund education, marriages and other essential expenses. Protesters demanded the government reconsider the proposed acquisition, maintaining they did not want to surrender their land.
Patna District Magistrate, SSP and SP reached the protest site and held discussions with farmer representatives, attempting to persuade them to resolve the matter through dialogue.
The Bihar government has proposed developing 12 townships across the state, including the Pataliputra Greenfield Satellite Township. Farmers opposing the Patna project insist their agricultural land should not be acquired for development.
–IANS
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