Kanhaiya Kumar, NSUI peers detained for march on CM Nitish Kumar's residence

Kanhaiya Kumar, the most prominent face of the Congress' Palayan Roko, Naukri Do Yatra — the party’s ‘Stop Running, Give the Youth Jobs’ campaign in Bihar — was detained by Patna Police on Friday, 11 April, while marching towards Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s residence.

Another 20 NSUI leaders were held along with Kanhaiya.

The yatra, spearheaded by Kumar, had reached Patna and was scheduled to culminate on 14 April, the birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. However, the activists’ march was intercepted by the police at Rajapur Pul, preventing the protesters from reaching the chief minister's official residence.

As water cannons were turned on the procession and lathi charge commenced, Kanhaiya suggested, “Instead of wasting water on us, the Bihar government should give it to the poor.”

“We have detained around 20 persons, including Kanhaiya Kumar, and taken them to the Kotwali police station for legal proceedings,” said Krishna Murari, DSP (law and order), Central .

BIG BREAKING 🚨

Bihar Police has detained Dr Kanhaiya Kumar & also used lathicharge & water canons on Congress workers

“Instead of wasting water on us, Bihar Govt should give it to poor”⚡

Kanhaiya has taken Bihar polls by storm, what a character 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/sFf45rMbFp

— Ankit Mayank (@mr_mayank) April 11, 2025

Reacting to the development, Congress said, "Youth were beaten and dragged, their path was blocked with water cannons, and they were brutalised. This dictatorial and anti-youth government should remember that our spirits are not going to break. Our fight against migration and unemployment is on and will continue."

आज 'पलायन रोको-नौकरी दो यात्रा' पटना पहुंची है।

हम युवाओं की बुलंद आवाज लिए बिहार के मुख्यमंत्री से मिलना चाहते हैं, उनसे युवाओं के हालात पर सवाल पूछना चाहते हैं।

लेकिन अपनी नाकामी के पीछे छिप रहे CM नीतीश कुमार युवाओं से मिलना नहीं चाहते, उनके सवालों से बचना चाहते हैं,… pic.twitter.com/ZfBn6omspR

— Congress (@INCIndia) April 11, 2025

Launched by the Congress months before the assembly elections, the Palayan Roko Naukri Do Yatra is a youth-centric campaign, aimed at highlighting the crisis of unemployment and large-scale migration in Bihar.

The yatra, which started from and has traversed multiple districts of the state, seeks to amplify the voices of jobless youth and demand concrete employment policies from both the state and central governments.

Congress leaders have described the initiative as a “movement to reclaim the future” of Bihar’s youth, many of whom have been forced to leave the state in search of work.

Day-26

प्यार और आशीर्वाद के लिए पटना का आभार 🙏🏿
आओ हमारे बिहार के लोगों कल मिलकर सरकार को अपने हक़ की बात सुनाते हैं। pic.twitter.com/r0cUsMUeKY

— Kanhaiya Kumar (@kanhaiyakumar) April 10, 2025

According to media reports, the district police initially attempted to disperse the marching protestors and their supporters using water cannons. However, as the gathering — including senior Congress leaders — continued to resist, scuffles broke out, prompting the police to resort to a mild lathi charge and multiple detentions.

Despite the crackdown, several Congress leaders and supporters continued their march in defiance of police barricades, determined to reach the chief minister’s residence.

Eyewitnesses reported a chaotic atmosphere in central Patna, with heavy police deployment and intermittent clashes between protesters and security personnel.

Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan deputy CM Sachin Pilot joined the yatra and addressed a press conference at the Congress office in Patna.

Walking alongside Kanhaiya Kumar and other youth leaders, Pilot strongly criticised both the Central and state governments, accusing them of “betraying the youth” and “mishandling” employment issues.

बिहार में एनएसयूआई और यूथ कांग्रेस द्वारा आयोजित पलायन रोको-नौकरी दो’ यात्रा में शामिल हुआ।

कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष @Kharge जी और @RahulGandhi जी सहित कांग्रेस पार्टी युवाओं के भविष्य को सुरक्षित और उज्ज्वल भविष्य के लिए प्रतिबद्ध है।

देश के युवाओं के भविष्य के साथ खिलवाड़ किया जा रहा… pic.twitter.com/mLSVSmRLZ7

— Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) April 11, 2025

“The youth of Bihar are being forced to migrate, they are migrating due to chaos, poverty, helplessness and distrust...

“Bihar is one of the youngest states in the country, but instead of nurturing the talent of the youth here, they are turned away from them.

“If Nitish Kumar had to support after the Lok Sabha elections, he should have asked for jobs for the youth of Bihar," said Pilot, addressing media at Sadaqat Ashram in Patna.

बिहार के नौजवानों को पलायन के लिए मजबूर किया जा रहा है, वे अव्यवस्था, गरीबी, लाचारी और अविश्वास के कारण पलायन कर रहे हैं।

गांव-देहात में लोगों के मन में ये विश्वास नहीं है कि वे दो जून की रोटी कमा सकते हैं। उन्हें लगता है कि नौकरी के नाम पर छलावा मिलेगा और अधिकार के नाम पर लाठी… pic.twitter.com/xvYjBar9wt

— Congress (@INCIndia) April 11, 2025

Recently, had also participated in the Palayan Roko Naukri Do padayatra and launched a sharp attack on the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government over rising unemployment and the deepening migration crisis.