New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been leading protests over the alleged NEET paper leak, will meet Union ministers on Friday afternoon. The party is continuing its agitation at Jantar Mantar despite activist Sonam Wangchuk ending his 26-day hunger strike.
Latest visuals from the protest site on Friday morning showed demonstrators continuing their sit-in at Jantar Mantar. A CJP delegation is scheduled to meet Union ministers at 12.30 pm at the Constitution Club of India.
“Our protest will continue. The Constitution Club of India has been chosen as the venue for the meeting with government ministers, and we are hoping for an open-minded dialogue,” CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said.
Wangchuk ended his indefinite fast late Thursday night after Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram and conveyed the Centre’s assurances on several of his demands. He remains admitted to the hospital.
“Just now, in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda, Dr Jitendra Singh and senior leaders of the Apex Body of Leh Ladakh, I finally broke my fast after 26 days,” Wangchuk posted on X.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre will introduce a bill in Parliament next week providing for stringent action against paper leaks.
In a video message, Modi said the proposed legislation would be discussed and finalised by the Union Cabinet on Friday before being introduced during the second week of the Monsoon Session.
Calling paper leaks a serious issue affecting lakhs of students and their families, the Prime Minister said those responsible for the alleged NEET paper leak had been arrested and that the government’s priority was to ensure students did not lose an academic year. He also said fast-track courts had been set up to expedite such cases.
The Congress, however, dismissed the announcement as an “eyewash”. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Modi had failed to address demands for accountability or mention the student protests and police action against demonstrators.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticised the Prime Minister’s video message, accusing him of sidestepping demands for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
