By Dr. Gyan Pathak
Delhi Police had to resort to firing tear gas on protesters near CJP protest sites at Jantar Mantar to push them back late on Wednesday evening, where tens of thousands of them had gathered and still swelling. On Thursday July 23 morning, CJP protesters at Jantar Mantar had intensified their protest even more by demanding “Dharmendra Pradhan Must Resign”, responding to the violence unleashed against them and to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on social media platform X, while evading statement in the Parliament when it is in session, that fast-track courts would be set up to prosecute the culprits behind the exam paper leaks.
July 23 is the fourth day of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament of India, which could not conduct business in the first three days due to repeated disruptions and adjournments of both the Houses – the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. The opposition had been demanding discussions on “brutalities unleashed on students” on July 20 during CJP’s protest March to Parliament against examination irregularities and paper leaks including of NEET. Government was not ready to discuss during first two days, rather resorted to police action of forceful removal of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi from sit-in protest by Congress near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on July 21 in which Gandhi also suffered bleeding nose. He and other opposition leaders were briefly detained.
The incident prompted the opposition to harden their stance on the third day of the parliament session, and they demanded resignation of the Union Minister of Education first before discussion, for which the government by then was ready with the condition that time and mode of discussion would be decided by consulting all parties. Disruptions continued and even third day was washed out.
The fourth day began with the announcement by the Prime Minister on X, though the parliament is in session, and its fist three days have been washed out amidst opposition demand of accountability on the paper leak issue and crackdown on students. “Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth!” the Prime Minister posted on X adding “We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. I have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard.”
Within minutes Congress leader and LoP Rahul Gandhi hit back in his post on X, “You are the one who has harmed the future of our youth the most. You allowed and encouraged the total capture and destruction of our education system – and protected every person responsible for it”. He even reiterated the students’ demands which he said are clear – 1 Sack Dharmendra Pradhan, 2. Apologise to the students. 3. Take action against those who assaulted them. Even CJP also sharply reacted to the PM’s announcement by posting on X “Dharmendra Pradhan Must Resign.”
The ruling BJP leaders had yesterday again said before the media that CJP protest is being presented as the “students protest” and one of the leaders has also claimed that the government will soon expose who are behind it. It should also be recalled that Pradhan was reported earlier to have said the CJP Protestors as “b-team of terrorists”. Protest has been continued since June 6, while Sonam Wangchuk has continued his hunger strike since June 18. Yesterday, students were protesting across the country, many FIRs have been registered in the BJP ruled states such as Maharashtra and Gujarat and hundreds were detained.
Before the commencement of the fourth day, the parliament gate Makar Dwar witnessed a protest by the opposition members who have been reiterating their demand for dismissal of Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi was also present among the opposition MPs. Ruling NDA parliamentarians also stated counter protest during which they tried to snatch a banner from an opposition MP on which “Dharmendra Pradhan Must Resign” was written. NDA protesters were demonstrating against opposition’s stance on not discussing the issue in parliament. The protest and counter-protest created an ugly scene involving verbal and physical violence during the face-off, which might have escalated had the security personnels not intervened.
When the proceeding began in the Lok Sabha the fourth day of the session, Congress MP KC Venugopal submitted an adjournment motion notice calling for suspension of regular business to debate the “severe and ongoing crisis” in India’s examination system and also to address the police crackdown on student protesters during their March to Parliament on July 20. In Rajya Sabah, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala gave similar notice. Opposition MPs were seen united on the issues who met ahead of the day’s session to chalk out their strategy.
As soon as proceeding commenced in Lok Sabha, it was disrupted by the opposition, which led to adjournment till 12 PM. Speaker Om Birla’s appeal failed to pacify the opposition. Rajya Sabha also broke into a din, and LoP and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded Pradhan’s resignation and termed PM’s statement on the government’s move today as an “instigative” one. Chairperson Vice President CP Radhakrishnan had to adjourn Rajya Sabha till noon.
Both the Hoses resumed at noon, but opposition continued their protest and continuous sloganeering. In Rajya Sabha, LoP Kharge demanded statement from the government on the NEET paper leak and related student deaths. The Rajya Sabha had to be adjourned till 2 PM. There in Lok Sabah, similar scene was witnessed, in which no proceeding could be conducted, and therefore it was adjourned till 2 PM.
At 2PM, within minutes of resumption of proceedings, Rajya Sabha had to be adjourned again till 3 PM, while Lok Sabah had to be adjourned for the day. The Opposition MPs continued to raise slogans, demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Rajya Sabha also adjourned for the day within minutes after resuming at 3 PM amid opposition’s protest. In the meantime CJP has given a call for nationwide protest on July 24. (IPA Service)
