Bihar Govt Withdraws Cases Against NEET Protesters After Opposition Threat

Bihar's Leader of Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, issued a stern warning to Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, threatening widespread protests if the government failed to withdraw cases and release students detained in connection with recent demonstrations. The protests, primarily focused on the NEET-UG paper leak scandal and alleged police brutality, saw significant student participation across the state.

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I stated clearly that if Samrat Choudhary does not withdraw the cases against the students and release them from jail by this evening or night, we will launch a massive agitation...

Yadav presented an ultimatum, demanding that Chaudhary address the issue by that evening or night. He asserted that hundreds of students were arrested on Chaudhary's orders and demanded clarity on the use of an AK-47 rifle by a police constable during the protests in Siwan district. Yadav called for a judicial inquiry into the incident, stating that the constable's suspension was insufficient and that the rifle was fired not into the air, but towards protesters.

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Merely suspending a constable for allegedly using an AK-47 rifle during the student protest in Siwan is not enough. A judicial inquiry must be ordered into the incident.

Responding to the pressure, the Bihar government issued a notification late Monday stating that all cases registered against protesters before July 26 evening would be withdrawn, and those arrested would be released. This development came after reports of police action, including the alleged use of an AK-47, sparked outrage despite prior government assurances against legal action. The Siwan Police, however, maintained that the rifle was fired in self-defense and reported no injuries, a claim that contrasts with Yadav's allegations of students being targeted.

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These shots were not fired into the air, but the chests of innocent people, who were merely protesting on the streets for justice and their rights, were riddled with bullets…