Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday accused the Centre of wasting his party's time by initiating talks while simultaneously cracking down on protesters demanding action over the alleged NEET paper leak.
Addressing supporters at Jantar Mantar, where the protest entered its 32nd day, Dipke claimed the government's actions during Monday's meeting with Union Health Minister JP Nadda raised questions about its intentions. He alleged that while the government invited a CJP delegation for discussions, police were taking action against protesters on the streets.
Dialogue or distraction?
"The government wasted our time. They invited our delegation. They seized their mobiles. Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were, in a way, under house arrest at JP Nadda's residence," Dipke alleged.
He claimed the delegation was deliberately kept waiting for five hours so that key leaders would remain away from the protest site during the police action. "The whole plan was to scatter the team. You call for talks on one hand and unleash batons on students on the other," he alleged. The Centre has not responded to these allegations.
Monday's meeting marked the first direct contact between the Centre and the agitating CJP. According to the party, Nadda met spokespersons Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das twice within two hours at his residence, where they submitted a memorandum demanding, among other things, the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities.
Protest continues despite crackdown
After the meeting, Ranka said the only assurance given by Nadda was that he would discuss the demands with the government leadership and communicate the outcome. On Tuesday, the protest continued at Jantar Mantar under heavy security, PTI reports.
Dipke also expressed concern over activist Sonam Wangchuk's health. He claimed Wangchuk had agreed to end his indefinite hunger strike after fellow protesters persuaded him, but changed his decision after witnessing the police action during the "Sansad Chalo" march.
At the protest site, demonstrators retained the main stage and placed a photograph of Wangchuk alongside a copy of the Constitution, the Ramcharitmanas, a charkha and a small Buddha statue.
Concern over Wangchuk's health
Dipke said Wangchuk's continued fast had become a matter of serious concern. According to him, doctors had warned that prolonged fasting could damage Wangchuk's organs and threaten his life. Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28. Delhi Police shifted him to Safdarjung Hospital on July 18, where he has continued the fast.
Meanwhile, CJP leader Saurav Das claimed in a post on X that large numbers of supporters continued to gather at Jantar Mantar. He said volunteers were also providing legal and medical assistance to protesters.
Earlier on Tuesday, volunteers cleaned the protest site after police dismantled tents following Monday's crackdown. Protest leaders said the agitation would continue despite the police action.
Agitation shows no signs of slowing
Thousands of protesters had gathered at Jantar Mantar on Monday for the CJP's proposed march to Parliament despite heavy security, multi-layered barricades and prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
Police used force, including lathicharge and tear gas shells, after protesters attempted to march towards Parliament. Both the protesters and the police blamed each other for the violence.
The agitation, which began on June 20, is seeking accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
