New Delhi: The national capital witnessed unprecedented chaos on Monday as thousands of students, marching under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party, clashed with police while attempting to lay siege to the Parliament over the NEET paper leak controversy. The massive protest forced authorities to lock down the Parliament complex and deploy heavily armed Quick Response Teams.
For the past month, a quiet demonstration at Jantar Mantar was underway. However, the agitation dramatically escalated when an ocean of students began marching towards the legislative center. Aerial visuals revealed completely choked roads, marking the largest crowd marching on the Parliament since the 2011 Anna Hazare movement.
Delhi Police resorted to heavy barricading, tear gas shelling, and lathi charges to disperse the angry crowds near Parliament Street. The situation turned violent in certain pockets, particularly near Janpath and Connaught Place, where some protesters damaged vehicles and pelted stones at law enforcement. A police Sub Inspector sustained injuries during the skirmishes. Inside the Parliament, the session was marred by uproar, while security personnel outside stood on high alert with weapons drawn to prevent any physical breach.
Amid the street battles, a delegation led by Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka met Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda. Nadda shared on social media that talks began before noon and an oral discussion took place in a cordial atmosphere, followed by the submission of a written petition at 4 PM. He appealed to the students to end the demonstration and help restore peace.
Despite the administrative outreach, the core demands of the protesting group remain rigid. They are insisting on the immediate release of activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose hunger strike is still ongoing, the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and a compensation of one crore rupees for the families of NEET aspirants who took their own lives. Concurrently, activist Abhijeet Dipke ended his fast. The group alleged he was detained, a claim the police strictly denied.
The massive student uprising has drawn significant political backing from the opposition. Senior leaders including Manish Sisodia and Atishi from the Aam Aadmi Party, Dimple Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, and Manoj Jha from the Rashtriya Janata Dal actively participated in the march. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also extended her support through a social media post.
In response to the escalating crisis, Home Minister Amit Shah and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a four hour closed door meeting. While police have successfully cleared the demonstrators from the immediate vicinity of the Parliament by the evening, the unresolved demands and widespread political involvement indicate that the national standoff over the medical entrance exam is far from over.