The CJP Jantar Mantar protest has hit an important new milestone as thousands of school children turned out in large numbers in the capital on Wednesday, while the Centre is beefing up security in the capital to control the fallout. The protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against the alleged leak of NEET-UG papers at the Jantar Mantar has been going on for the second day without a break since a tense march to Parliament; six FIRs have already been filed against alleged violence and vandalism during the march.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi is also believed to be heading to Jantar Mantar on Wednesday to personally extend support to the protest at the CJP Jantar Mantar, one of the most unambiguous indications so far of Congress joining the student movement. His visit comes at a time when all opposition parties have rallied behind the agitating students of the CJP Jantar Mantar protest, and Congress units in states like Kerala have passed on a message of solidarity with the protesting students.
The group had offered the government two choices: either come to Jantar Mantar for discussion or meet at a neutral location in the vicinity, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said. Das said that the government had already contacted them on July 20, when they were not paying any heed to the protesters. The outreach is significant as the CJP Jantar Mantar protest had, till recently, not witnessed any direct engagement by the government in spite of growing pressure from the public.
Sonam Wangchuk, whose indefinite hunger strike has now become a rallying point for the protests, is at the centre of the human drama surrounding the protest. Union minister J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh visited Wangchuk in Safdarjung Hospital where he is being treated for his ailment, and he was discharged after he had not eaten anything since his admission. Since then, CJP’s founder Abhijeet Dipke has appealed to Wangchuk to lift the fast, saying he is concerned about his health, and life is too precious to be lost on a fast. A delegation from the Samajwadi Party was also to be at Medanta Hospital in the evening to request Wangchuk to lift the fast.
The size of the protest highlights the resonance that the CJP Jantar Mantar movement has gained since it started. By Wednesday morning, thousands of protesters had gathered at the site, and organisers promised to continue the pressure until the government did something about their main demand: holding accountable those who are responsible for the paper leak in NEET exams and their resignation. The Centre has meanwhile visibly stepped up security measures in Delhi, fearing a repeat of the fracas the previous time as it headed towards Parliament.
The addition of Rahul Gandhi brings in a new political touch to a student agitation. His visit comes days after the Congress and the government clashed over the issue with a dharna outside the Prime Minister’s residence and the arrest of senior Congress leaders by the Delhi Police. Gandhi’s participation at Jantar Mantar seems to be putting Congress on the bandwagon of the protest movement rather than being a move by them to join the fray. AAP leaders, in the past, have alleged Congress was trying to use the movement for its own agenda.
From the perspective of the government, the offer for talks, either at Jantar Mantar or at another neutral place, is an indication that it seeks to resolve the issue through talks without going on the offensive. It appears unlikely that the government would agree to talk to CJP members because, according to their leaders, the protest will not be stopped no matter what happens to Wangchuk’s fast.
At present, it does not seem that the CJP Jantar Mantar protest is coming to an end any time soon. As Rahul Gandhi has joined the protest, as the health of Wangchuk becomes a national issue, and as the government has offered talks, the next few days will be crucial to see if the students get justice regarding their demand against the NEET paper leak.
My name is Santosh Rana, and I am the Founder and Content Writer at Taza News, where I actively cover Education, Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Government Jobs, Technology, and Breaking News updates. As the founder of the platform, I am committed to building a trusted digital news source that delivers accurate, timely, and reader-friendly information to audiences across India.
