The second round of negotiations with the Centre is underway with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), but the demands of the protest group stay the same. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said that only the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will put an end to the ongoing protest against a paper leak by NEET.
Dipke, who spoke before the meeting, was “unalterable on any terms” on the issue of their main request, adding that he did not expect the party to describe any policy needs that would be at odds with the organisation’s principles. He said that now the movement has spread across the country and is a voice of students and youth across the nation.
When social activist Sonam Wangchuk, a recent victor of a similar protest which ended after government assurances, appealed to the CJP to end the protest as well, Dipke brushed aside the suggestion. “It’s not about the students of the organisation, it’s for the students all over the country,” says him.
The Centre and CJP are holding the second round of discussions at the Constitution Club of India after the government had agreed to provide them a neutral venue. Previously, the Centre had suggested that the talks would be held at Union Minister JP Nadda’s office or somewhere in the government, and the CJP had insisted that the talks would be held at Jantar Mantar or at a neutral venue.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das welcomed that of the government’s, and called for the Centre to show open-mindedness and listen to students’ concerns at this meeting and in subsequent ones on the same topic, which takes place at the Constitution Club.
The talks are taking place as ongoing protests in the country against NEET paper leak allegations put under pressure the government, which has been holding onto the government with new protests and public protest demanding accountability and education reforms.