Photo: IANS
"We are not interested in videos; we don't have time to watch," said Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, refusing to hear an urgent petition requesting the Supreme Court's intervention in the police crackdown on student demonstrators at the Cockroach Janta Party's Jantar Mantar sit-in.
A Bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana was hearing the oral mention of the matter when the petitioner's counsel sought an urgent hearing, alleging police brutality against students protesting at Jantar Mantar, IANS reported.
"Please don't waste our time and don't waste yours. Your time is more valuable than ours," CJI Kant told the counsel, IANS reported.
The lawyer submitted that students were raising important issues such as ensuring the fair conduct of the NEET examination and seeking reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA), including its dissolution in view of repeated allegations of paper leaks.
Cutting the submissions short, the CJI said, "Thank you very much."
When the counsel insisted that there were videos showing police atrocities against the protesters and sought urgent listing of the matter, the apex court declined the request.
"We are not interested in videos. We don't have time to watch," CJI Kant remarked, refusing to grant an urgent listing to the petition.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been leading protests over the alleged NEET paper leak and other examination-related issues, derives its name from remarks made earlier this year by Chief Justice Surya Kant. His comments, in which he referred to unemployed young people entering journalism and activism as "cockroaches", had triggered widespread criticism.
Following the backlash, the Chief Justice clarified that his remarks were intended only for individuals holding what he described as "fake and bogus degrees."
Soon after the controversy, the satirical platform CJP emerged and, within a span of two months, grew into a large online movement with millions of followers. It later expanded into a nationwide campaign capable of mobilising tens of thousands of supporters, India Today reported.
For nearly a month, CJP members, supporters and students have been staging a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. Environmental activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest on June 28 and began an indefinite hunger strike in support of the movement's demands.
On July 18, Wangchuk was removed from the protest site by Delhi Police and taken to Safdarjung Hospital. Protesters alleged that those who attempted to stop the police were slapped and pushed aside during the operation.
The CJP had earlier announced a 'Chalo Sansad' march on July 20, calling on supporters to gather in large numbers and march towards Parliament. The demonstration drew tens of thousands of participants and was followed by clashes with police, prompting allegations of police brutality and mass detentions.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to urgently hear a petition concerning the police action. Observing that the matter did not warrant immediate intervention, the court remarked, "Don't drag the Court into this.”