The Centre is poised to hold a fresh round of negotiations on Wednesday with representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led student protest. Government insiders indicate optimism regarding a potential breakthrough following a high-level, late-night meeting with activist Sonam Wangchuk. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh is slated to lead the government’s engagement with CJP delegates. Central to the discussions is Wangchuk’s core demand to bring the ongoing student agitation onto the floor of Parliament for an official debate—a concession the government is reportedly willing to accommodate to resolve the deadlock.
Opposition Protests in Black Attire
Simultaneously, the political pressure intensified inside Parliament as Opposition MPs arrived wearing black attire to stage a coordinated protest. The demonstration targeted the government’s handling of the student protests in New Delhi and the persisting controversies surrounding the NEET paper leak and demanded a discussion on the NEET issue during the ongoing Monsoon Session.
Congress MP Pawan Khera said that all Opposition MPs are wearing black today as a mark of protest against what they have done to the students of this country in the capital city of Delhi, a protest against the insistence on Dharmendra Pradhan continuing in his position, a protest against the way this Govt has responded to the students’ unrest.
Demanding accountability, Opposition lawmakers have called for the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Strong Condemnations from Opposition Leaders
Senior political figures pulled no punches in criticising the ruling administration’s priorities and its response to the crisis. While opposition MPs slammed the police brutality against students, they also asked why Prime Minister Narendera Modi is shielding the education minister despite terming the paper leak as a ‘grave sin’.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, condemning the treatment of protesting youth, stated that students are merely fighting for their legitimate rights. Highlighting budgetary allocations, she remarked, “The entire education budget for the youth of this country is Rs 1.4 lakh crore. But you are writing off loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore for Adani ji and Ambani ji. The farmers get nothing, the poor get nothing, and the students get nothing,” she said.
Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav, questioning the administration’s defensive stance, asked, “We must think why the government is not able to remove its minister. What kind of pressure is there on the govt? Does the minister hold secrets of the government because of which it is not able to remove him? The govt is acting scared.”
Background of Escalating Tensions
The parliamentary showdown follows a day of high-stakes political drama on Tuesday. Opposition heavyweights, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, joined the student demonstrators in a march toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence. The march culminated in brief detentions by the Delhi Police before the leaders were released.
With the Monsoon Session facing continuous disruptions over the escalating student crisis, all eyes are now on Wednesday’s scheduled talks to see if the government and protesters can chart a path forward.
Bureau Report
Leave a Reply