Jantar Mantar

Patriotic songs, drumbeats and chants of "Vande Mataram" echoed through Jantar Mantar on Saturday as thousands of protesters erupted in celebration after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned over the NEET paper leak, calling it the first major victory of their weeks-long agitation. The celebration continued even as, just after the meeting with Union ministers, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokespersons said the agitation was being withdrawn with the government accepting all demands put forth by the outfit. The protest site, which witnessed clashes, tear gas and injuries just days earlier, transformed into a scene of jubilation as protesters hugged one another, waved the tricolour, danced in circles to the song 'Chak De! India' and beat daflis while chanting slogans celebrating democracy and student unity. Many held aloft portraits of Dr B R Ambedkar, while others recorded videos recreating a popular social media meme by pointing first to Pradhan's resignation lett

The announcement came after another round of talks between CJP representatives and Union ministers Jitendra Singh and J P Nadda at Vithalbhai Patel House

The party said the Centre had agreed to provide compensation to the families of those who died during the protest in accordance with applicable rules and regulations

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday said he had been diagnosed with typhoid but vowed that his illness would not slow the movement seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. In a video message shared on social media, Dipke said he had been unwell for the past few days and was currently undergoing treatment. Despite his illness, he thanked CJP supporters for keeping the protests alive across the country and said that the movement would achieve its objective. "As you know, I have been unwell for the last few days. The reports are out and I have been diagnosed with typhoid," he said. Dipke said he was undergoing treatment and receiving intravenous medication. "The treatment is going on. I am getting IV drips every day. But I want to thank all the cockroaches who are protesting peacefully across the country," he said. Congratulating supporters for expanding the movement, Dipke said he believed sustained peaceful protests would help t

Stations will remain shut from 7:30 am, while interchange facilities will continue at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House and Central Secretariat as security has been intensified around Jantar Mantar

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Repeated closures of metro stations and transport disruptions imposed by authorities in response to the Jantar Mantar protest have triggered backlash from commuters, who took to social media to question why thousands of daily travellers were being inconvenienced. This comes amid the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announcing on Friday the closure of the New Delhi metro station till further orders, adding to the disruption caused by the shutdown of 17 metro stations in central Delhi for the third consecutive day. The DMRC said in a post on X that the New Delhi metro station had been closed till further instructions and that no interchange facility would be available at the station. The latest closure comes even as 17 metro stations in central Delhi remained shut from 7.30 am on Friday due to security reasons. The closure of the New Delhi metro station, a key interchange connecting the Yellow Line and the Airport Express Line and providing direct access to the New Delhi Railway .

A crucial meeting between the representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the government was underway at the Vithalbhai Patel House here on Friday as part of efforts to find an amicable solution to the outfit's demands related to exam irregularities. While the government was represented by Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh, the CJP was represented by its national spokesperson Saurav Das and another youth. This was the third official meeting between the CJP and the government. Nadda and Das, along with another CJP spokesperson, Ashutosh Ranka, had attended two back-to-back meetings on July 20 at the minister's residence. The meeting is taking place hours after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike late on Thursday night following government assurances on his key demands. The CJP had earlier declined the government's invitation to hold talks at a minister's residence or office, insisting that discussions should ta

As the protest over paper leak at Jantar Mantar entered its seventh week on Friday, the movement that began with students is increasingly drawing support from an unlikely quarter -- senior citizens, who say they have joined the agitation because the issue concerns the future of the country's youth. Amid hundreds of Gen Z protesters camping at the site, people in their 50s, 60s and even 70s were seen sitting alongside students, raising slogans, attending meetings and lending support to the demand for reforms in public examinations. Dev Nath Maurya, a 64-year-old farmer from Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli, said he travelled for nearly 12 hours with a group of around 30 people to reach the national capital. "We have not come here for today; we have come here for this country's future. These young kids are our future. What face will I show to my grandchildren when they ask what I was doing while the young ones were trying to bring education reforms?" Maurya told PTI. Ram Avtaar, also in his

The Delhi High Court will on Friday hear a public interest litigation (PIL) against internet shutdown around Jantar Mantar, where the CJP is protesting against alleged examination irregularities. The PIL was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia by the counsel for the petitioner. "This is a PIL against internet shutdown at Jantar Mantar," the lawyer said, urging the bench to take up the matter at 2.30 pm. "Alright," the bench responded. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has been protesting in the heart of Delhi since June 20, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak.

The government and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) are set to hold talks on Friday at the Constitution Club of India here after the Centre "agreed" to the outfit's request that the meeting be held at a neutral venue. There was no official confirmation from the government on it so far. The development comes hours after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike late on Thursday night following government assurances on his key demands. The meeting is likely to be held around 12.30 pm. CJP national spokesperson Saurav Das said the outfit welcomed the government's decision to "accept its request for a neutral venue". "A discussion has been called. We are very happy that the government has agreed to our request that the meeting should be held at a neutral venue, and the Constitution Club of India has been chosen," Das told reporters. "I hope the government comes with an open mind and listens to the people," he said. The CJP had earlier declined the government's invitation

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has said the "strictest action" the government could take against examination irregularities was to remove Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that a bill providing for stringent action against paper leaks would be introduced in Parliament. CJP national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, in response to the prime minister's remarks, said, "Modi ji, remove Dharmendra Pradhan tomorrow. That's the strictest action you can take." CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke also reacted to the prime minister's announcement by taking to X to share an image of a man locking the gate of a compound with no boundary walls, in an apparent swipe at the proposed legislation. Prime Minister Modi announced on Thursday that a bill providing for strong action against paper leaks would be introduced in Parliament next week after being cleared by the Union Cabinet. He said the government had already taken several steps after ...

The Delhi Police on Thursday claimed it has identified more than 480 Pakistan-based social media handles allegedly involved in spreading misinformation amid the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Martar, saying the same accounts had been active during Operation Sindoor. In a post on social media, a Delhi Police official said Pakistan-based social media handles were taking advantage of the prevailing situation to circulate rumours, fake posts and edited videos with the intent of instigating people, particularly students. "We have noticed that misinformation is being circulated on various social media platforms. So far, we have identified over 480 Pakistani social media handles that are taking advantage of the current situation to spread rumours. We are getting these handles blocked. These are the same handles which were active during Operation Sindoor," the officer said. The officer said the primary objective of these accounts is to spread misinformation and provoke peopl

Wangchuk ended his indefinite hunger strike shortly after midnight on Thursday at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram

FM Nirmala Sitharaman said the government's response ensured arrests, a timely re-examination and prompt declaration of results, allowing students to move ahead with admissions.

The Delhi High Court has agreed to hear on Friday a public interest litigation seeking a probe into the Cockroach Janta Party-led protest over alleged examination irregularities at Jantar Mantar here. The counsel for the petitioner mentioned the PIL before a bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia and requested that the case be listed on Friday. "This is against the so-called student agitation. They have made the entire Delhi hostage. Roads have been blocked. Citizens of Delhi are suffering," lawyer Barun Kumar Sinha submitted. "Alright. Tomorrow," Chief Justice Upadhyaya said. Petitioner Satish Kumar Aggarwal, ex-vice president of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, said in his PIL that the participation of activists and political leaders as well as the alleged involvement of foreign-funded organisations, has raised serious questions about the "true nature, purpose, and objectives of the protest". The PIL asserted that these concerns call for a "comprehensive .

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

He also questioned the government over shutting down 16 metro stations for a brief period due to security reasons

The government on Wednesday told the Lok Sabha that it is willing to hold a discussion on the NEET paper leak issue, and urged Speaker Om Birla to convene a meeting of all parties to decide on the rule, date and duration of the debate. As soon as the House reassembled at noon after an earlier adjournment, Birla asked Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to make a statement but Congress leader K C Venugopal intervened to assert that the Opposition is also seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Rijju said the government is willing to hold a discussion on NEET paper leak issue but the Speaker will have to meet floor leaders of all parties to decide on the rule under which the discussion will be held, its date and duration. Amid Opposition sloganeering, the House was adjourned till 2 pm. The opposition has been demanding a discussion on the NEET paper leak issue and is also seeking the resignation of Pradhan over the handling of the controversy over th