Patna, Bihar: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was detained in Patna on Wednesday while leading a protest march over police action during the recent NEET paper leak protests in Bihar, police said.
Yadav was taken away in a police vehicle near the Income Tax office after RJD leaders and workers tried to breach barricades during the march towards the Lok Bhavan.
The police used water cannons to disperse the protesters, who had started the march from JP Golambar earlier in the day.
"The government is pushing the future of students into darkness. Exam papers are getting leaked frequently," Yadav said while being taken into the police van.
The march was organised by the RJD to highlight the party's concerns over the police response to protests demanding an honest and transparent examination system.
RJD MP Manoj Jha said the protest was aimed at bringing the issue to the attention of the Bihar governor.
"It is important to understand the emotions of Gen Z. The government used AK-47 rifles against the protesting students in Bihar, and pellet guns and nail-embedded batons against them in Delhi, just because they demanded an honest and transparent examination system," Jha told PTI Videos.
RJD MLA Bhai Virendra said the protesters planned to submit a memorandum to the governor at the Lok Bhavan.
Bihar Police said a delegation of protesters would be allowed to meet the governor.
The march drew criticism from the BJP, with state president Sanjay Saraogi accusing Yadav of using the issue for political purposes.
"This is a rally to save the career of Tejashwi Yadav. He failed as a student, cricketer and politician. Now, he is trying to play politics around an issue that the Bihar government has already resolved," Saraogi said.
The detention came amid continued political tensions in Bihar over allegations surrounding examination irregularities and the police response to student protests.