NEW DELHI: As protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination intensified in New Delhi on Monday, Left parties demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Thousands of students and youth gathered at Jantar Mantar for the "Sansad Chalo" march called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja said students were forced to protest as the Centre had ignored their grievances. He also criticised the police action against protesters.
“Brutal lathi charge on students, the welding of 7-foot barricades, the closure of Metro stations with students inside, and the deployment of overwhelming police force against peaceful protesters expose the BJP government’s utter contempt for democracy. Democracy is sustained through dialogue, not repression,” Raja said.
In a post on X, Raja further said, “Students have been forced onto the streets because the Modi government has refused to listen, even after 17 young lives were lost amid the corruption and repeated scandals surrounding the NTA. Instead of accepting responsibility, the government continues to shield Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, under whose watch the country’s education system has descended into crisis. This authoritarian assault on students must stop. The country deserves accountability, not cover-ups…PRADHAN MUST GO!”
Police used tear gas shells and lathi charges to disperse protesters marching towards Parliament.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also criticised the police action.
“These are the injuries inflicted on SFI activists - students and youth - whose only "crime" was demanding justice. The BJP government answered peaceful democratic protest in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, with lathis, barricades and brutality. But no amount of repression can erase the questions millions of students are asking. Why were exam paper leaks allowed to flourish?,” the party posted on X.
The party also demanded the withdrawal of the National Education Policy 2020.
“Why is corruption in the education system being protected? Why is the government afraid of students demanding accountability? Every bruise is evidence of a government that has chosen force over answers. Stand with the students. Stand against state repression. Dharmendra Pradhan must resign. Scrap the NTA. Withdraw NEP 2020,” it said.
Senior CPM leaders, including general secretary M.A Baby and Brinda Karat, joined the protest at Jantar Mantar.
“Every lathi charge, every tear gas shell, every welded barricade, every sealed metro station is a confession of the BJP government's fear. A government that cannot face its own youth, answer their questions, or engage with their demands is a cowardly government. It has chosen repression over democracy. But history will remember those who refuse to bow, not those who chose to wield lathis,” the CPM said.
CPI-(Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said the response to the march showed that the movement should expand across the country.
“There can be no stronger reply to a callous, coward and arrogant regime than the confident march of a determined and defiant people. Today's #ChaloSansad call for resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan kindled that latent power of "we, the people of India". Fear Out, Courage In!,” he posted on X.
