Prashant Kishor Arrested: Everything You Need To Know

In a dramatic turn of events, Prashant Kishor, former poll strategist and founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, was arrested by Bihar Police at Patna’s iconic Gandhi Maidan.

Kishor had been sitting in a corner of Gandhi Maidan on an indefinite hunger strike, protesting for the lakhs of students who had appeared for the Bihar Public Service Examination (BPSC) but felt the process lacked fairness and transparency.

The arrest drama unfolded in the early hours of January 6, 2024, reflecting the desperation of the youth for a glimmer of hope. Kishor was sleeping at the protest site, surrounded by hundreds of students who were demanding a re-examination.

The police swooped in to take Kishor into custody, with one constable even slapping him in the process — a video of which has now gone viral online.

Students grabbed hold of Kishor’s arms and refused to let the police carry out their plan, leading to a scuffle between the students and the police. Eventually, the police managed to remove the students from Kishor’s arms and take their place. A total of 43 people were detained, and 30 vehicles, including Kishor's vanity van, were seized.

Patriotic slogans were raised as the police were taking Kishor to their van. The presence of the media added yet another layer of complication for the Patna police. While they were engaging in lathi charges and scuffles, various reporters’ equipment was snatched in an attempt to stop them from recording and reporting.

In one particular viral video, the police are seen kicking an Aakashvani Patna reporter for doing his job.

Kishor and 150 others have been named in a First Information Report filed by the district administration, which cites a High Court judgement to establish that the protest is illegal. Section 132 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita has been imposed on them.

At the time of writing, Kishor’s exact location was unknown. Local media reports that the police have kept him at a place closer to Patna, from where he will be presented in court.

The BPSC-related protests have been going on for more than three weeks now. Initially, opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav also seemed to support the protesters, but he suddenly shifted his attention towards the party's activities.

For Yadav, it was a wonderful opportunity to establish himself as someone who has the interests of the youth in mind — especially in the backdrop of his taking credit for job creation during his tenure as deputy chief minister.

Political insight suggests that one reason behind Yadav’s silence could be Nitish Kumar’s pressure politics against his coalition partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Yadav sensed an opportunity so he did not go all out against Kumar.

Tejashwi’s rival, Pappu Yadav, also joined the protest for a few hours but then got into a war of words with Prashant Kishor himself. The exchange escalated into borderline below-the-belt attacks from both sides.

Meanwhile, students were seeking a permanent political figure to voice their concerns and pressure the Nitish Kumar government to address their five-point demand. Kishor stepped in, announcing a fast unto death. However, this move led him into a series of controversies, culminating in his eventual arrest.

Firstly, student unions from various political parties tried to exploit the protest for their own gain, sparking a social media war with videos and counter-videos circulating. As expected, Kishor faced accusations of politicising the issue.

Secondly, his vanity van became a point of contention, with critics suggesting that Kishor wasn’t conducting his fast in good faith. Despite reporters witnessing him sleep in open spaces, questions were raised to undermine the integrity of his protest.

As we await official statements, Kishor has effectively communicated to young voters — a crucial demographic for electoral success in Bihar — that he is on their side. The actions of the state police have only worsened the optics for Nitish Kumar.