Former Union Minister and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi on Thursday expressed concern over the treatment of students protesting in New Delhi, saying their grievances over the examination system were ‘genuine’ and should not be reduced to a ‘law-and-order issue’.
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In a post on X, Joshi said it was “painful” to see students from different parts of the country camping on the streets of the national capital for days, urging the authorities to address their concerns with empathy and work towards a lasting solution.
“It is painful to see young students from different parts of the country assembled for days on the streets of New Delhi. Their anxieties and concerns regarding the examination system are genuine and must be handled with empathy and a desire to find a lasting solution,” he wrote.
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The senior BJP leader also cautioned against the use of force to disperse the protesters, saying he hoped the situation would not be treated merely as a law-and-order problem.
“I fervently hope that this is not treated merely as a law-and-order issue to be tackled through the use of force. It is very painful to see that even young girls were brutally mishandled,” Joshi said.
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Warning that such action could have wider consequences, he added, “Such use of force shall alienate large sections of Indian society from the national goal of Viksit Bharat.”
Joshi’s remarks come amid the ongoing student protests in New Delhi over the alleged NEET paper leaks and the police action against demonstrators.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said the Central Government has reiterated its commitment to dialogue, stating that it has extended multiple formal invitations to student representatives for discussions.
Speaking to ANI on the updated proposal for talks with the youth-led movement, Union Minister Jitendra Singh emphasised that the Government is not letting “prestige” hinder the path to a resolution.
“The government has sent formal proposals for discussions with their representatives four times since last afternoon. This is a standing invitation to all our youth friends that the government is ready for discussions on all issues at your convenience, at any time,” Singh said.
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Underscoring the government’s flexible approach, Singh, who is also the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office, said, “We do not stand on prestige. Union Health Minister JP Nadda and I will be present for discussions. Slowly, by way of discussion, we will progress towards a solution.”
The Union Minister further offered protestors a choice of venue for the proposed meeting to ensure a comfortable environment for the dialogue.
On July 20, thousands of students and supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) gathered at Jantar Mantar for the planned “Chalo Sansad” march to Parliament, demanding accountability over the alleged NEET paper leak, reforms to the examination system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Protesters maintained that the march was peaceful and accused Delhi Police of using excessive force, alleging lathi-charge, manhandling of demonstrators and the detention of several participants as they attempted to breach barricades.
Delhi Police, however, defended its action, saying the march had not been permitted, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS were in force, and protesters became “unruly, aggressive and violent” after refusing repeated directions to disperse. Police said force was used only to maintain law and order and prevent protesters from entering the high-security Parliament area.
(With inputs from agencies)
