Protests demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan intensified in Delhi on Thursday as agitators called for a nationwide peaceful stir in every district on Friday even as the government attempted to break the impasse, said it was open to talks and reshuffled key bureaucrats in the education ministry.
Event Context
Thousands of young people continued to pour into Jantar Mantar, shouting slogans and holding placards, braving traffic restrictions, 17 metro station closures, and police officers standing on some intersections and removing people from autos headed to the protest site.
The government suspended internet services for the second day running in central Delhi and establishments in the iconic Connaught Place –– a stone’s throw away from Jantar Mantar –– closed early. Separately, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and opposition MPs attempted to hold a protest in India Gate but were repeatedly thwarted.
Track live updates of CJP protest here
Late at night, the government moved out higher education secretary Vineet Joshi to the panchayati raj ministry and replaced him with Naresh Pal Gangwar as part of a larger secretary-level bureaucratic reshuffle across key ministries and departments. TK Anil Kumar was appointed secretary of the department of school education and literacy.
Union minister Jitendra Singh said the government made four attempts to hold dialogue with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). “Wherever you want we can discuss, either at (Union minister) JP Nadda’s house or office,” Singh said.
Singh –– who met climate activist Sonam Wangchuk at the Medanta Hospital on Tuesday night –– was scheduled to meet the CJP representatives for a second round of negotiations on Wednesday, but the meeting was scuttled over the CJP’s demand for a neutral venue.
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“The government has sent four formal proposals for discussions with their representatives (CJP) 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.
Born out of a controversial remark by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant earlier this year, the CJP first garnered millions of followers on social media before launching a sit-in protest on June 6 demanding the resignation of Pradhan over repeated question paper leaks. After days of tepid crowds, the movement was galvanised by the hunger strike and forcible removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk last week.
Crowds swelled through the weekend and by Monday morning, columns of people –– many of them students, first-time agitators and young professionals –– had defied a steady monsoon drizzle and heavy police barricading to join what became the largest street protests in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term.
Tensions have sporadically flared at the protest site, most dramatically around 8.30pm on Wednesday when clashes between protesters and the police led to injuries to five agitators and five police personnel. Visuals of the clashes –– which broke out on Sansad Marg, outside the main protest site in Jantar Mantar –– showed hundreds of people on the streets, stone pelting and tear-gas shelling, and scores of police and paramilitary personnel in riot gear hitting out with batons.
On Thursday, protesters and police came face-to-face across barricades at the Sansad Marg-Tolstoy Road intersection, plastic bottles were hurled towards security personnel, and repeated announcements urged people to maintain peace. Despite the charged atmosphere, no major untoward incident was reported.
Team Analysis
The CJP said the authorities were trying to vitiate the peaceful stir. “Our protest from day one has been peaceful. But it has been infiltrated by anti-social elements. Our team is identifying infiltrators and asking them to leave,” Ranka said.
Match Outlook
The minister said the government was not making the choice of venue a “prestige” issue. “JP Nadda and I will be present for discussions. Slowly, by way of discussion, we will progress towards a solution. This is a part of the series of continuous steps taken by the government for the welfare of the students. Humbly, I appeal to you all to come and have discussions,” he said.
But the protesters hit back, pointing out that neither Nadda –– who had met two CJP representatives on July 20 –– nor Singh had spoken about their core demand: Pradhan’s sacking.
CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka called for expanding the agitation beyond the national capital. “Let’s make this protest national. On July 24, please hold peaceful protests across the country, in every city and every village,” he said even as the party shared a poster on X, urging everyone to participate in peaceful protests across the nation on Friday.
Also read: Jantar Mantar protest: Medical reports show injuries, but CRPF, police silent on ‘pellet gun’ use
Ranka confirmed that the government reached out to the protesters through the police but a decision on the venue was not reached. “The government has reached out to talk – through the DCP. But the venue is being discussed as it has to take place at a neutral place. They are asking us to come to JP Nadda’s office or residence but that’s not going to happen,” Ranka said.
Ranka said if the government didn’t budge, “we will not either”. “All we can say is that the time is running out for this government. If you hear the slogans of the protestors, they are no more limited to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, they are asking for Modi’s resignation as well. The government should understand the sentiments of the people.”
When asked whether the talks had reached a deadlock, Ranka said, “There is no deadlock because our demand is clear –– resignation of Pradhan. The government can come and tell us that it will not happen, then we’ll let the people of this country decide.”
Addressing supporters from the stage, Ranka referred to Singh’s statement that the government had reached out for talks. “Minister Jitendra Singh has posted on social media that we have reached out four times and the CJP can talk anytime they want. We asked them to come to Jantar Mantar. They refused. They asked us to come to JP Nadda’s house. Should we go?” he asked the crowd, which roared back in the negative.
“Then we will not go. The public has decided,” Ranka added.
As per people aware of the details, the ministers are expected to meet CJP representatives on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Nitin Nabin attacked the Opposition as he challenged them to discuss the issues concerning the youth in Parliament. “The entire Opposition, including Congress, is running away from the discussion because they know that as soon as they come to the floor of the House, their double standards will be completely exposed before the people of the country and the youth,” he said.
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Delhi Police bolstered security at the site, questioning everyone approaching from the Sansad Marg side about their destination. Those headed to the protest venue were asked to take alternate routes via Kerala House, Janpath or Jai Singh Road.
The CJP deployed Nihang Sikh volunteers at key points, and sat on top of the barricades to ensure that protesters did not abuse or throw plastic bottles at the security personnel. “A lot of people resort to throwing plastic bottles at them. It can escalate to a serious situation so we have to ensure they don’t do that,” said Naseeb Singh, 19.
