The Crossbill Team
Congress leader and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar was briefly detained in Patna on Friday (April 11) during a protest march led by the Youth Congress against the Nitish Kumar government over unemployment and alleged governance failures.
Accompanied by Youth Congress national president Uday Bhan and party workers, Kanhaiya was on his way to submit a memorandum to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar when police intervened near the CM's residence.
As the protesters marched forward, police deployed water cannons and resorted to a mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.
A brief scuffle ensued, following which Kanhaiya and around 30 others were taken into custody. He was released shortly after.
During a public address as part of the padyatra, senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot took aim at the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government over the large-scale migration of youth from the state.
"The government should stop the migration that has been happening from Bihar in lakhs. We are asking for accountability," Pilot told news agency ANI.
He added, "The youth have marched on the streets with us… The government releases numbers only to mislead us. The reality is far from it."
Bihar Congress posted on X, "Even though the police arrested the youth and took them away from Kotwali police station in Patna, they could not suppress their voice."
In a video shared with the post, Kanhaiya-led Congress workers can be seen raising the slogan of 'Halla Bol' amid detention.
Speaking while being detained, Kanhaiya Kumar criticized the state government’s failure to deliver basic amenities.
“We don’t want water cannons. We want water in our taps. When the government fails to provide clean drinking water under the ‘Nal Jal Yojna’, it instead sprays water on students and youth,” he said.
The protest marked the culmination of Kanhaiya’s ‘Palayan Roko, Naukri Do’ padyatra, which began on March 16 from Bhitiharwa Ashram in Champaran.
Over the course of the march, Kanhaiya covered several hundred kilometers across multiple districts, highlighting issues like unemployment and migration. Congress leader and Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi had joined the yatra on April 7, lending his support to the campaign.
During his public address, Kanhaiya has also hit out at the BJP’s rhetoric on dynastic politics. Pointing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s son holding top cricket administration roles, he said, “What was his qualification apart from being the Home Minister’s son? Is this not dynasty?”
Speaking to news agency IANS, Kumar said, “We were on our way to meet the Chief Minister, but Bihar Police brought us to the police station. Now there are only two possibilities, either we are taken to meet the Chief Minister so he can hear our demands, or we are sent to jail. Even from jail, we will raise our voice and share our demands.”
Reaffirming his commitment to non-violence and truth, Kanhaiya added, “We are followers of Gandhi, we believe in truth and non-violence, and we put forward our demands through Satyagraha. Our intent in meeting the Chief Minister was to share various issues that people have told us about during this yatra. Farmers are not getting fair prices for their crops, maize farmers are not getting a proper rate, makhana farmers aren’t getting fair compensation, there is no MSP on maize.”
The Congress is banking on Kanhaiya’s strong oratory and grassroots connect to regain political ground in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled for October-November 2025.
The party, in alliance with the RJD and supported by Left parties, is gearing up to challenge the BJP-led NDA in the state. Congress last held power in Bihar until 1990 and is seeking a revival in the region.
Accompanied by Youth Congress national president Uday Bhan and party workers, Kanhaiya was on his way to submit a memorandum to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar when police intervened near the CM's residence.
As the protesters marched forward, police deployed water cannons and resorted to a mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.
A brief scuffle ensued, following which Kanhaiya and around 30 others were taken into custody. He was released shortly after.
During a public address as part of the padyatra, senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot took aim at the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government over the large-scale migration of youth from the state.
"The government should stop the migration that has been happening from Bihar in lakhs. We are asking for accountability," Pilot told news agency ANI.
He added, "The youth have marched on the streets with us… The government releases numbers only to mislead us. The reality is far from it."
Bihar Congress posted on X, "Even though the police arrested the youth and took them away from Kotwali police station in Patna, they could not suppress their voice."
In a video shared with the post, Kanhaiya-led Congress workers can be seen raising the slogan of 'Halla Bol' amid detention.
हम जहां रहेंगे वहीं से न्याय की आवाज बुलंद करेंगे!
— Bihar Congress (@INCBihar) April 11, 2025
चाहे सड़क हो , सदन हो या जेल की चारदीवारी में।
भले ही कोतवाली थाना पटना में युवाओं को गिरफ्तार कर पुलिस ले गई है, लेकिन उनकी आवाज को दबा नहीं सकी।#पलायन_रोको_नौकरी_दो_यात्रा pic.twitter.com/z5VT6HCvdT
Speaking while being detained, Kanhaiya Kumar criticized the state government’s failure to deliver basic amenities.
“We don’t want water cannons. We want water in our taps. When the government fails to provide clean drinking water under the ‘Nal Jal Yojna’, it instead sprays water on students and youth,” he said.
The protest marked the culmination of Kanhaiya’s ‘Palayan Roko, Naukri Do’ padyatra, which began on March 16 from Bhitiharwa Ashram in Champaran.
Over the course of the march, Kanhaiya covered several hundred kilometers across multiple districts, highlighting issues like unemployment and migration. Congress leader and Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi had joined the yatra on April 7, lending his support to the campaign.
During his public address, Kanhaiya has also hit out at the BJP’s rhetoric on dynastic politics. Pointing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s son holding top cricket administration roles, he said, “What was his qualification apart from being the Home Minister’s son? Is this not dynasty?”
Speaking to news agency IANS, Kumar said, “We were on our way to meet the Chief Minister, but Bihar Police brought us to the police station. Now there are only two possibilities, either we are taken to meet the Chief Minister so he can hear our demands, or we are sent to jail. Even from jail, we will raise our voice and share our demands.”
Reaffirming his commitment to non-violence and truth, Kanhaiya added, “We are followers of Gandhi, we believe in truth and non-violence, and we put forward our demands through Satyagraha. Our intent in meeting the Chief Minister was to share various issues that people have told us about during this yatra. Farmers are not getting fair prices for their crops, maize farmers are not getting a proper rate, makhana farmers aren’t getting fair compensation, there is no MSP on maize.”
The Congress is banking on Kanhaiya’s strong oratory and grassroots connect to regain political ground in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled for October-November 2025.
The party, in alliance with the RJD and supported by Left parties, is gearing up to challenge the BJP-led NDA in the state. Congress last held power in Bihar until 1990 and is seeking a revival in the region.
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