CJP protest: Centre seeks time on Pradhan resignation demand
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Photo: IANS
New Delhi: The Union government has sought 24 hours to respond to the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. This came after nearly two hours of discussions between government representatives and the student-led organisation in the national capital on Friday.
After meeting Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh at the Constitution Club, CJP leaders said the government had requested time until Saturday afternoon to convey its position on the organisation's primary demand concerning Pradhan's resignation.
The meeting was attended by Union Ministers Nadda and Singh, along with CJP Chief Spokesperson Saurav Das and National Spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, Free Press Journal reported.
Speaking after the talks, Ranka said the delegation had conveyed that it would accept nothing less than Pradhan's resignation or removal from the Union Cabinet, citing what he described as widespread public anger and growing discontent among students and youth.
He also stated that the government had indicated its in-principle acceptance of two other demands raised by the organisation — compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide and the withdrawal of FIRs and other legal cases filed against student protesters.
Nadda described the discussions as constructive and said the meeting lasted nearly two hours. According to him, the CJP delegation presented three major demands and also submitted five suggestions aimed at improving and reforming the examination system.
Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the organisation would continue its protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar until Pradhan steps down over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
In a video message, Dipke asserted that the movement would continue regardless of activist Sonam Wangchuk's decision to end his hunger strike, adding that the agitation would not lose momentum.
Wangchuk ended his 26-day fast late on Thursday night at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram in the presence of Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh after receiving assurances from the government regarding the protesters' concerns.