Pradhan resignation key, non-negotiable: CJP; Govt says more talks today
Protest leaders submit 5-point charter for exam reforms; we listened, says Nadda.
Representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party, spearheading the protest at Jantar Mantar over examination paper leaks, told the Centre Friday that their key demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, compensation for the families of students who ended their lives following the NEET paper leak, and no legal action against the protesters were not negotiable.
Union Minister J P Nadda, who along with his colleague Jitendra Singh met CJP spokespersons Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das for nearly two hours at the Constitution Club of India, not far from the protest site, told reporters that the CJP demands and suggestions had been noted and there would be another meeting Saturday afternoon.
The meeting took place hours after activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had backed the CJP demands, ended his 26-day hunger strike Thursday night at the Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon in the presence of Nadda and Singh.
Ranka said, “The government has asked for time until tomorrow afternoon on our demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. We hope the government will remove him soon.”
He said there was “in-principle approval” from the government on the demands relating to compensation and the withdrawal of FIRs and legal cases against students.
The CJP also sought a public apology from the Centre, the head of the Rapid Action Force and the Delhi Police Commissioner to students assaulted during the protests.
Nadda said, “Today, we had come here to discuss the issues of the agitating people, and the conversation lasted for almost two hours. From the government’s side, Dr Jitendra Singh Ji and I participated in the conversation. We listened to their points. The discussions took place in a cordial atmosphere, and from many perspectives. All matters were thoroughly discussed in every way.”
“Their main demands were three, and from the perspective of reforms, there were five suggestions for the examination. We have told them that we will meet with you again tomorrow afternoon, and then whatever further discussion or conversation takes place, we will inform you about it,” he said.
The CJP representatives also sought a response from the Centre to their five-point charter on examination reforms: compensation for students affected by paper leaks; mandatory backup re-examination within 72 hours in case of examination disruption; paper checking for examinations conducted on paper; automatic extension of age limit if an examination is delayed; and, mandatory independent technology audits of examination systems.
Das said, “We told them that if we don’t see any movement towards resolution by tomorrow, then either tomorrow or the day after, we will give a nationwide call for an even larger protest than the one on July 20 to continue this movement.”
In a letter submitted to Nadda during the meeting, the CJP said it had consulted its supporters and members across the country as well as protesters at Jantar Mantar before coming to a consensus on the demands.
Representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party, spearheading the protest at Jantar Mantar over examination paper leaks, told the Centre Friday that their key demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, compensation for the families of students who ended their lives following the NEET paper leak, and no legal action against the protesters were not negotiable.
Union Minister J P Nadda, who along with his colleague Jitendra Singh met CJP spokespersons Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das for nearly two hours at the Constitution Club of India, not far from the protest site, told reporters that the CJP demands and suggestions had been noted and there would be another meeting Saturday afternoon.
The meeting took place hours after activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had backed the CJP demands, ended his 26-day hunger strike Thursday night at the Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon in the presence of Nadda and Singh.
Ranka said, “The government has asked for time until tomorrow afternoon on our demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. We hope the government will remove him soon.”
He said there was “in-principle approval” from the government on the demands relating to compensation and the withdrawal of FIRs and legal cases against students.
The CJP also sought a public apology from the Centre, the head of the Rapid Action Force and the Delhi Police Commissioner to students assaulted during the protests.
Nadda said, “Today, we had come here to discuss the issues of the agitating people, and the conversation lasted for almost two hours. From the government’s side, Dr Jitendra Singh Ji and I participated in the conversation. We listened to their points. The discussions took place in a cordial atmosphere, and from many perspectives. All matters were thoroughly discussed in every way.”
“Their main demands were three, and from the perspective of reforms, there were five suggestions for the examination. We have told them that we will meet with you again tomorrow afternoon, and then whatever further discussion or conversation takes place, we will inform you about it,” he said.
The CJP representatives also sought a response from the Centre to their five-point charter on examination reforms: compensation for students affected by paper leaks; mandatory backup re-examination within 72 hours in case of examination disruption; paper checking for examinations conducted on paper; automatic extension of age limit if an examination is delayed; and, mandatory independent technology audits of examination systems.
Das said, “We told them that if we don’t see any movement towards resolution by tomorrow, then either tomorrow or the day after, we will give a nationwide call for an even larger protest than the one on July 20 to continue this movement.”
In a letter submitted to Nadda during the meeting, the CJP said it had consulted its supporters and members across the country as well as protesters at Jantar Mantar before coming to a consensus on the demands.
