Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh): Prayagraj Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abhishek Bharti on Thursday said that some 'anti-social elements' were provoking the UPPSC students and becoming part of the demonstrations being held over demands to hold 'single shift' exams in the state.
The official said that students holding the protests were being requested to continue with their protest constitutionally, adding that some anti-social elements provoking the students were being identified and interrogated.
"Students are protesting against the state PSC. The students are being requested to continue with their protest constitutionally and their demands will be taken to the authorities. Yesterday, public property was vandalised by anti-social elements and cases have been registered against them. They are not students but anti-social elements, with history of criminal cases. Two have already been arrested. Such anti-social elements are being part of the protests and provoking the students. More of them are being identified and interrogated," said the DCP.
Meanwhile, student aspirants protesting over 'single shift' UPPSC examinations for the fourth consecutive day broke barricades to reach the Gate no 2 of UPPSC office and continue their protest.
Abhishek Shukla, a student in the protest, spoke to ANI and said, "The Commission is playing with the lives of the students. The students have only one demand, that is to conduct the examinations in the former pattern. Today, we came here to demonstrate the protest at 6-7 am. We were divided by the police administration. If 5-6 students were seen together, the police officials were threatening that they would be taken into custody. Students were frightened, but now all the students have come together and united. We are not 'Andolkaari,' we are just simply pressing our demands."
Another student, Priya Singh said that, "There is a huge crowd of students that have gathered here for their demand into the UPPSC exams. Why can't our demand be fulfilled, is the Uttar Pradesh government unable to fulfill this small demand of the students?
After students broke barricades and entered the area near Gate no. 2 of the UPPSC office, Abhishek Shukla said, "We have been here since 6-30 am in the morning. We students are only pressing for our demand to conduct the UPPSC exam in 'one shift.' The only thing we are asking of the government is to conduct the exams in the former pattern and not to hold the papers in two shifts. This is because in PCS, it is not easy to guess the syllabus, which shift is tough and which shift is easy."
"This is a completely wrong decision. We broke the barricades because we were not being allowed to enter. Police officials were threating us not to form groups. They should think that if an aspirant has to come down and press for their demands through a protest, then who is lacking in it, the administration or the education department," said Shukla.
"We are not 'roadchaap,' we have got exams a month later. We need to prepare for it but we have to come down and demonstrate protests here. We are being treated very poorly here," the student added.
Abhishek Singh, another student from the protest said, "The police is trying to destablise the protests from the students. The papers should be conducted according to the students, because this is for the students. We are not doing politics here, this is all for the demands for the students."
Pravesh Kumar, another student also spoke to ANI and said, "We were lathicharged here, even a disabled girl was manhandled by the police here. This is how the administration is treating the students here, even the students with disabilities."
Aspirants demanding that Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) exams be held in a single shift continued their protest for the fourth consecutive day outside the commission's office in Prayagraj on Thursday morning. Students were seen sloganeering outside Prayagraj Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission office.
—ANI