PTI
New Delhi
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Wednesday made it clear it will hold talks with the government only at a neutral venue as the student protests over the paper leak issue spread to several states including Bihar, where police used tear gas shells, water cannons and batons to prevent a march to the Governor’s house.
Jantar Mantar, the epicentre of the protests that began on June 20 demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET question paper leak and other examination irregularities, saw the CJP, led by its founder Abhijeet Dipke, continuing with its agitation and joined by hundreds of people, mostly students.
The sit-in witnessed a steady stream of new arrivals. Many walked into the protest site with backpacks, rolled-up banners and small bags. Some sat on the road listening to speeches from the stage, while others gathered near police barricades, raising slogans and holding
placards.
As the crowd grew, several protesters climbed onto nearby trees for a better view of the stage and the gathering below, waving flags from the branches as slogans echoed across the site. The atmosphere remained energetic through the afternoon. Every few minutes, chants demanding accountability and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan broke out from different parts of the gathering.
Volunteers carrying first-aid kits and water bottles moved through the crowd, while new groups of protesters continued to enter the protest site with flags draped over their shoulders and banners tucked under their arms.
The day also saw several appeals being made to activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has become the face of the agitation, to end his indefinite hunger strike. He said he would do so only if the government gives an unequivocal assurance that no punitive or retaliatory action would be taken against students and youth who participated in the protests.
The CJP appealed to him to end his hunger strike, saying his sacrifice has inspired students across the country. It also assured him that the agitation would continue until its demands were met.
A delegation of MPs, including Vivek Tankha (Congress), Sagarika Ghose (TMC) and John Brittas (CPI-M), met Wangchuk and his wife Gitanjali J Angmo at the hospital in Gurugram and urged him to end his fast, saying the struggle for a fair and transparent examination system had become a national cause.
Addressing a press briefing at the protest site, CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said police informed them on Wednesday morning that Union minister J P Nadda wanted to hold discussions and invited them to his residence.
“We refused to go to anyone’s house or office. The people’s court is here. Ministers should come among the people. If they want to talk, the talks should be held at Jantar Mantar,” he said. Das, however, said the CJP remained open to dialogue and was willing to consider a neutral venue near the protest site if there were security concerns.
“We are educated people. If there are security concerns at Jantar Mantar, we can meet at a neutral place nearby. We have always said we are ready for talks. It would be good if the issue is resolved through dialogue,” he said.
“We will also seek a sovereign guarantee from the government that no fresh FIRs are filed or punitive action is taken against any peaceful protester associated with this movement,” he said.
A senior government functionary later said Pradhan is likely to remain in the cabinet as the top hierarchy of the government is convinced that he cannot be blamed for the leak of the examination papers. The functionary also said the government is ready for serious engagement with the protesters and suggested that no one should be rigid about the “venue” of the meeting as insisted by the CJP.
According to Das, the agitation has spread beyond Delhi, with demonstrations taking place in several parts of the country, including Bihar, Goa, Mumbai and Rajasthan, and described it as an “organic” nationwide movement.
Dipke put out a post on X, questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence.
Seventeen metro stations were temporarily shut during the day due to security reasons, leaving hundreds of office-goers, students and other commuters stranded for hours, forcing many to change routes midway, exit at unfamiliar stations and scramble for alternative transport during the morning rush. These were opened in the evening.
Meanwhile, the issue of NEET paper leak and police crackdown on protesters at Jantar Mantar and neighbouring areas rocked both the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday.
The government offered an elaborate discussion on the issue and accused the Opposition of not allowing a debate by disrupting proceedings.
In the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government is willing to hold a discussion on the NEET paper leak but left it to Speaker Om Birla to arrive at a consensus on the rule under which it will be held, its date and duration.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day after heated exchanges between the government and the Opposition over the NEET paper leak issue. The House witnessed multiple adjournments for the third consecutive day as Opposition parties led by the Congress disrupted proceedings, protesting against Monday’s police action on students demonstrating over the issue.
