Security personnel clash with members of the Communist Party of India (CPI), All India Students’ Federation (AISF), All India Youth Federation (AIYF), and other affiliated Left-wing outfits as they attempt to break through police barricades during a ‘Lok Bhavan March’, in Patna, on September 28, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Members of the Communist Party of India and various other organisations clashed with the police during a protest in Patna, Bihar, on Monday (September 28, 2026) over a slew of demands, including the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and cancellation of the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The protest march began from the historic Gandhi Maidan towards Patna Lok Bhavan but the city police had made elaborate arrangements to stop them at Dak Bungalow Crossing, around 5.5 km from the Governor’s residence. The police had deployed barricades, water cannon vehicles and additional personnel at the area, and as protesters attempted to breach the barricades, clashes broke out.
Later, a delegation of protesters submitted a memorandum of their demands to the Governor, a CPI statement said.
Apart from the CPI and the students’ organisation of the Bihar University of Health Sciences (BUHS), members of the All India Students Federation (AISF), All India Youth Federation (AIYF), Bihar Mahila Samaj, Bihar State Kisan Sabha, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and Tanzeem-e-Insaaf were part of the protest. Their demands included Mr. Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, cancellation of the SIR process, repeal of the Waqf Amendment Act, reinstatement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with 200 days of guaranteed work and minimum wages, enactment of a comprehensive Central law for agricultural labourers, and ending privatisation of public sector assets.
BUHS students took part to protest against alleged delays in academic sessions and financial irregularities in the functioning of the institute. Some of the students, wearing white coats, were seen dancing in the stream of water shot by the water cannon.
CPI general secretary D. Raja criticised the police action in a post on X. “I strongly condemn the police action, lathi-charge, use of water cannons on the CPI-supported Badlaav Zaroori Hai – Raj Bhawan March in Patna, Bihar and the cowardly attack on a CPI protest in Midnapore, West Bengal by RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] goons,” he posted.
“Why are the RSS-BJP so afraid of Communists?… A 20,000-strong march demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar was met with lathis, water cannons, arrests and detention of hundreds, including CPI National Secretaries Dr. Girish and Sanjay Kumar. Dr. Girish also sustained injuries in the lathi-charge. The demand comes amid questions over the SIR, electoral-roll deletions, and Election Commissioners themselves raising objections on record on multiple occasions,” he added.
Police blame ‘anti-social elements’
“Some anti-social elements mingled with the protesters to exploit the situation. They even clashed with the police and indulged in stone-pelting in which some people sustained injuries as well. Traffic was completely paralysed by the protest at the Crossing”, said Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikeya Sharma, who along with other senior police officials, was seen coordinating security arrangements for the demonstration.
Published – September 28, 2026 08:59 pm IST
