New Delhi, Dec 26: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday slammed the Nitish government for lathi-charge on Bihar Public Service Commission candidates in Patna during their protest to demand the cancellation of the December 13 exams.

“I had said in Parliament that in the same way that Eklavya’s thumb was cut off, in the same way the thumbs of the youth are cut off by leaking the papers,” said the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha in a post on X.

“The latest example of this is Bihar. BPSC candidates are raising their voices against the paper leak and demanding cancellation of the exam. But to hide its failure, the NDA government is instead resorting to lathi-charge on the students,” he said, attaching a video of police lathi-charge on the social media platform.

Extending support to the protesters, the Gandhi scion said, “This is extremely shameful and reprehensible. Playing with the future of students will not be tolerated. We are with them and will fight to get them justice.”

The ongoing protests by BPSC candidates have escalated, leading to a contentious police response and legal action against protesters and alleged instigators.

The candidates began their dharna on December 18, demanding the cancellation of the entire BPSC examination. Their dissatisfaction grew when the BPSC cancelled the examination for only one centre and rescheduled it for January 4, 2025.

On Wednesday evening, protesters attempted to surround the BPSC office on this issue, prompting police action, including lathi-charge.

Patna Police have registered an FIR against protesters, some coaching institutes, and social media accounts allegedly involved in spreading misinformation and provoking candidates.

“Accounts such as BPSC Network, Study for Civil Services, Civil Adda, and UPSC Civil Service Examination have been flagged for allegedly misleading posts. We have registered an FIR against them and notices are being served,” said Anu Kumari, SDPO of (Sachiwalay) of Patna Police.

Anu Kumari said: “On Wednesday, the protesters illegally surrounded the BPSC office on Nehru Road, a vital route in Patna where protests are prohibited. Their actions disrupted public order, and the district administration used mild force to restore normalcy. We have appealed to the public to avoid paying attention to rumours circulating on social media.”

After holding the meeting with Tollywood actors and filmmakers on Thursday, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy assured that the government stands with the Telugu film industry. According to the sources, in the meeting, CM Reddy asserted that there will be no compromise on law and order. He also said that celebrities must control their fans and the industry must be responsible.

The meeting was held at Telangana State Police Command and Control Centre at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad.

The delegation of influential people from Tollywood was led by Telangana Film Development Corporation (FDC) chairman Dil Raju. Among other attendees are actors like Nagarjuna, Varun Tej, Sai Dharam Tej, Kalyan Ram, Shiva Balaji, Adavi Sesh, Nithin, and Venkatesh.

Directors including Koratala Siva, Anil Ravipudi, K Raghavendra Rao, Prashanth Varma, Sai Rajesh and Producers like Suresh Babu, KL Narayana, Damodhar, Allu Aravind, BVSN Prasad, Chinna Babu among others are present in the meeting.

Earlier, on December 4, when Allu Arjun attended the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre, a massive crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor, and chaos ensued when he waved to fans from the sunroof of his car. This led to the tragic death of a woman named Revathi and injuries to her child.

Following the incident, Allu Arjun was arrested and later released on bail after furnishing a Rs 50,000 bond.On Tuesday, actor Allu Arjun was questioned by Hyderabad police in connection with the tragic incident during the premiere of his film Pushpa 2.

The incident has also sparked political controversy. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy blamed Allu Arjun for the tragedy, stating in the Assembly that police had denied permission for any event at Sandhya Theatre due to safety concerns.

The actor, however, dismissed the allegations, calling them an attempt at “character assassination.” Earlier this year, Telangana Minister K Surekha linked former Minister and BRS leader KTR to the divorce of Tollywood actors Samantha and Naga Chaitanya, accusing KTR of tapping the phones of actors and blackmailing them.

Surekha’s remarks sparked massive controversy, with several BRS leaders as well as superstar and Naga Chaitanya’s father, Nagarjuna Akkineni, condemning the remarks.

Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 26: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge arrived here to take part in the two-day centenary celebrations of the 1924 Indian National Congress session.

State Congress President and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar welcomed Kharge and Rahul Gandhi at the Belagavi airport.

He also presented both leaders with badges for the AICC centenary session.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah welcomed them by handing over the party flag and bouquets. K.C. Venugopal, the National General Secretary and Congress MP and other dignitaries were present.

As part of the centenary celebrations, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah officially inaugurated the SARAS Fair, Khadi Utsav, and Exhibition-cum-Sale at Sardar High School Grounds in Belagavi on Thursday.

He inaugurated the ‘Asmita Trade Fair-2024’ a massive exhibition and sale of self-help group women’s products and Khadi goods.

The SARAS Fair and Khadi Utsav, organised in collaboration with the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, and Livelihood, Karnataka State Rural Livelihood Campaign, Karnataka State Khadi and Village Industries Board, Department of Industries and Commerce, District Administration, Zilla Panchayat, and City Corporation, will be held from December 26 to January 4.

Women from self-help groups (SHGs) across all districts of Karnataka have participated in the SARAS fair, showcasing key products from their respective regions. A total of 150 stalls have been set up, including 10 food stalls and 50 stalls dedicated to Khadi products.

The fair is open to the public with free entry, and the exhibition will be accessible daily from 10.30 a.m. to 9.30 p.m.

Various cultural programmes will be held every evening from 6.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. As announced in the 2024-25 state budget, 50 ‘Akka Cafes are being implemented statewide with a uniform design. The programme aims to support the livelihood of approximately 1,200 women from SHGs. As part of this initiative, the food court at the fairgrounds has been attractively set up under the “Akka Cafe” theme, adding a unique charm to the event.