The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has announced a march to the Lok Bhavan (formerly Raj Bhavan) here on August 19, 2026 to protest against the “dictatorship of the government that does not listen to the democratic demands of students and has been built on a system of plunder”, veteran party supremo Lalu Prasad said on Tuesday (August 18, 2026).

The Mahagathbandhan (’Grand Alliance’) allies would also attend the march and they would together, “submit a memorandum to the Governor regarding their demands”, RJD leaders said.

Students in Bihar were tormented by paper leaks, a dilapidated education system, biased recruitment processes, unemployment, and a government that rained bullets on them, Mr. Prasad said in a social media post.

The RJD has demanded the suspension of former Siwan Superintendent of Police (SP) Puran Kumar Jha, in charge at the time a constable was caught on camera allegedly firing an AK-47 rifle at students on July 25, 2026. Mr. Jha was on Tuesday asked to report to the State Police headquarters for orders on his next posting. Nalanda SP Bharat Soni has been transferred to Siwan in Mr. Jha’s place. Eighteen other policemen connected with the incident have already received their transfer orders.

“The march will begin from the RJD headquarters in Patna on August 19 and reach Lok Bhavan through the Income Tax roundabout,” party leader Chitranjan Gagan told The Hindu.

The Opposition party had sought the Siwan SP’s suspension, Mr. Gagan said, and “not merely transfer”, reiterating the plan to march to Lok Bhavan on August 19.

Abhishek Kumar, who wielded the AK-47 rifle, has been removed from his position. The Bihar Police told the Supreme Court in an affidavit on Monday (August 17, 2026) that the police constable “trapped” in the crowd during the Bihar students’ NEET-UG paper leak protests and ensuing violence fired four rounds from his AK-47 rifle in the air.

Student organisations had on July 25, 2026 staged demonstrations in several districts of Bihar, including Patna and Siwan, and clashed with the police against the NEET-UG paper leaks, and against police action on protesting students in Delhi on July 20, 2026. Protesting students were seen pelting stones and bricks at police personnel at several places, leading to several detentions and subsequent release.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, while speaking to media persons on August 16, 2026 alleged “a complete collapse of the examination system and law and order in the State”.

“There isn’t a single exam or recruitment drive where the paper doesn’t get leaked. Whether it is the Class 10 or Class 12 or recruitment test, the papers leak every time, and a fair selection process has never taken place,” Mr. Tejashwi Yadav said.

“Bihar is the worst performing State when it comes to education. You (media persons) must have seen the incident that occurred in Siwan, where an AK-47 was fired upon students protesting for their rights,” he said. “We want to know — who ordered the firing? With this view, we have decided to hold a march to Lok Bhavan on August 19 to present our grievances to the Governor and demand accountability and justice for the students of Bihar,” he said.

Mr. Tejashwi Yadav, along with a delegation of party leaders, also met the Director General of Police earlier, on August 7, 2026, demanding a “high-level inquiry into the incident of firing against students”.

Posters and hoardings on the march called by the Opposition party to the Lok Bhavan have been displayed at prominent places in the State capital, including at the RJD’s headquarters.

Published - August 18, 2026 09:45 pm IST