Students and unemployed youth in India clashed with police as they marched toward the residence of Bihar's chief minister, a position held by the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding solutions to unemployment and transparency in recruitment exams.
On August 26, security forces in Bihar used water cannons and batons to disperse thousands of protesters who broke through security barriers in Patna, the state capital. Local police said they detained at least 25 protesters in Patna before releasing them, and accused some of attacking security personnel.
Patna Police Commissioner Kartikeya K Sharma said: "The police will identify those who threw stones at security forces and will take action against them."
The protests in Bihar began last week with unemployed young people demanding job opportunities, then expanded to include calls for educational reforms.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said his office was "listening to the voice of every student." After the protest, a delegation of students met with the state's top official, Pratyaya Amrit. Amrit said the discussion was "positive and we have been promised a favorable response in the coming days."
India's difficult labor market has made public sector jobs, which offer long-term stability, a goal for millions.
The events in Bihar come a month after a wave of large Gen Z protests in New Delhi, which led to the resignation of the Education Minister on July 25 over alleged irregularities in the conduct of key competitive exams. The resignation was seen as a significant political setback for Prime Minister Modi, who has sought to maintain a strong image, while India's democratic indicators have continued to decline since he took power in 2014.
Since the protests organized by the online movement Cockroach Janta Party in New Delhi, similar protests have spread to several other states, challenging both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition parties.
In Karnataka, southern India, members of a BJP-affiliated student union protested near the state chief minister's residence on August 26 over irregularities in government job recruitment.
Meanwhile, the Cockroach movement in New Delhi announced it would hold a march next month to protest the Modi government's failure to deliver on promised changes, including withdrawing cases against protesters.
