Jantar Mantar protest: CJP-Centre talks deadlocked; no clarity on Pradhan’s exit;
NEW DELHI: The stand-off between the Centre and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the alleged NEET paper leak continued on Friday, with no breakthrough on the protesters’ key demand for the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.While the government sought more time to respond after the second round of talks, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi renewed his attack on the Centre, reiterated the students’ demands and accused the government of using force against peaceful protesters. Meanwhile, the union cabinet approved stricter anti-paper leak measures and the Supreme Court agreed to hear petitions over the alleged police action on July 27.Here are the top developments:
Second round of talks ends without breakthrough
A CJP delegation held a nearly two-hour meeting with Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at the Constitution Club in New Delhi. The delegation submitted three key demands and a five-point reform charter, but the meeting ended without a final decision.Addressing reporters, Nadda said the government would respond after internal consultations.”The meeting went on for almost two hours. They had three main demands and five reform suggestions for exams. We have told them that we will meet them again tomorrow afternoon and tell them about the discussion we had within the government,” he said. The next round of talks has been scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
Centre seeks more time on Pradhan’s resignation
CJP leaders said the Centre had sought time till Saturday afternoon to respond to their demand for Pradhan’s resignation, which they described as non-negotiable.CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the government had expressed in-principle approval to the other two demands.”The government has asked for time till tomorrow afternoon on our demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. We hope the government will remove him soon,” he said. CJP leader Saurav Das said the delegation had also sought Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide, withdrawal of FIRs and legal cases against protesting students, and a written sovereign guarantee that similar action would not be taken against peaceful protesters in the future. According to the delegation, the government accepted the compensation and FIR-related demands in principle.
Rahul Gandhi reiterates students’ demands
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi renewed his demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s removal, alleging that the education minister was responsible for the crisis.”Dharmendra Pradhan is a criminal education minister. He has to be removed. He is a symbol of the collapse of our education system. He has to go,” Gandhi said. He said students were demanding the removal of the education minister, action against those responsible for the alleged pellet gun use and lathi-charge during the protests, and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.During the press conference, Rahul also presented a protester whom he alleged had suffered pellet gun injuries during the Jantar Mantar protest.”His eye has suffered damage, and he has lost his vision,” Gandhi said, while alleging that the government had falsely denied using pellet guns against protesters.The government has denied using pellet guns during the protest.
Cabinet approves tougher anti-paper leak law
The union cabinet approved amendments to the Prevention of Paper Leak law, proposing stricter punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks.According to sources, the proposed amendments provide for a maximum jail term of 10 years, a fine of up to Rs 10 crore and an increase in the minimum imprisonment from three years to five years.Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said the government would introduce the Bill in Parliament soon and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed that there should be no delay. Rijiju also criticised the Opposition for disrupting Parliament and urged members to allow a discussion on the issue.
Supreme Court to hear police action pleas; CJI clarifies earlier remarks
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on July 27 two petitions alleging excessive police action against students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak.Earlier in the day, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant clarified that reports claiming he had refused to hear a petition on the issue were incorrect.”In the last two days, a completely false statement was made that a matter was filed,” the CJI said, adding that only a representation had been submitted at that stage and describing the reports as “irresponsible and reckless”.
PM Modi promises stricter action
A day before the Cabinet decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the government would introduce legislation providing for fast-track courts and stricter punishment in paper leak cases.”Paper leaks are not an ordinary matter. For lakhs of students and their parents, it is extremely painful,” Modi said.The Prime Minister said the government had ensured that nearly 22 lakh students did not lose an academic year by conducting the examinations again. He also welcomed activist Sonam Wangchuk’s decision to end his 26-day hunger strike, while the CJP maintained that its protest would continue until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. Go to Source
