CJP hardens protest stand as Wangchuk sets terms to end his hunger strike

The CJP said talks with the Centre must be held at Jantar Mantar, while Sonam Wangchuk sought an assurance that protesters would not face any punitive legal action

The students' protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar entered its 34th day on Thursday, with the upstart Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) vowing to intensify its agitation and refusing to hold talks with the Centre outside the protest venue.

 

The demonstrators are demanding accountability from the government over the irregularities in Neet-UG exam and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

 

CJP expands list of demands

 

The CJP expanded its list of demands on Wednesday while reiterating its call for Pradhan’s resignation and monetary compensation for families of children who died by suicide. It said the agitation would continue until the government fulfilled all its demands.

 

The additional demands include “no persecution of peaceful protesters” and the prosecution of all police officers involved in “committing atrocities”.

 

A CJP delegation was scheduled to meet Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh. However, the meeting did not take place after CJP members refused to hold it at Nadda’s residence.

 

They alleged that they had been made to wait for several hours during a meeting on Monday.

 

Wangchuk revises conditions to end fast

 

Climate and education activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike since June 28 demanding Pradhan’s resignation, on Wednesday set out the conditions under which he would end his fast.

 

Wangchuk, who is admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, said he would end the hunger strike if the government fulfilled the assurances given to him and guaranteed that protesters would not face punitive legal action.

 

In a letter addressed to Nadda and Singh, who met him on Tuesday night, Wangchuk said the ministers had assured him that the Centre would consider providing “adequate compensation for the families of the students who had committed suicide following the examination paper leak”.

 

They had also assured him of “a meaningful discussion in Parliament to ensure accountability including consideration of the resignation” of Pradhan, he wrote in the letter shared on X.

 

Wangchuk sought an “unequivocal assurance” from the government that none of the young protesters would face punitive or retaliatory legal action for participating in the agitation.

 

“Their only ‘offence’ has been to raise their voice for a fair and and accountable education system.” 

 

What did Rahul Gandhi say about the protests?

 

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday defended the students protesting over the alleged Neet paper leaks and questioned the deployment of armed security personnel against demonstrators.

 

Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee headquarters, Gandhi accused the Centre of allowing India’s education system to deteriorate.

 

He alleged that examination paper leaks had become rampant and claimed that around 152 such incidents had occurred over the past decade. He also reiterated the Opposition’s demand for Pradhan’s resignation.

 

Gandhi called for action against those responsible for the alleged assault on protesters and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise to the students.

 

His remarks came a day after the Delhi Police detained Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Opposition leaders during a sit-in outside the prime minister’s official residence. They were protesting against the alleged police crackdown on students demonstrating over examination paper leaks. 

 

Parliament logjam persists

 

The deadlock in Parliament over the alleged NEET paper leak continued for a third consecutive day on Wednesday.

 

The government reiterated that it was willing to discuss the issue, while the Congress-led Opposition maintained that Pradhan must resign before any debate could take place.

 

Separately, Nadda denied reports that he had met a CJP delegation. He clarified that he and Singh had visited Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on Tuesday night to meet Wangchuk.

 

Nadda said the government would respond to both the CJP’s demands and Wangchuk’s open letter.