CJP Holds Talks With Centre, Reiterates Dharmendra Pradhan's Resignation Is ‘Non-Negotiable’
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the Central Government held formal talks at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on Friday after the Centre agreed to a neutral venue for discussions. During the meeting, the CJP maintained that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation remains a non-negotiable demand amid the ongoing NEET paper leak controversy.
The Central Government and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held a crucial round of talks on Friday, July 24, at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi, marking the first formal dialogue between the two sides since nationwide protests over the alleged NEET paper leak intensified.
The meeting took place after the Centre accepted the CJP's request to shift the discussions to a "neutral venue" instead of a government office. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Dr. Jitendra Singh represented the government during the discussions.
Despite the government's recent announcements on examination reforms, the CJP remained firm on its primary demand, stating that the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is "non-negotiable."
The party argued that introducing stricter laws against examination irregularities, including the proposed legislation announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would not be sufficient unless accountability is fixed at the highest level within the Education Ministry.
The talks came a day after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day indefinite hunger strike following written assurances from the government. According to Wangchuk, the Centre assured that non-violent student protesters would not face punitive action and that the government would consider compensation for families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide in connection with the examination controversy.
Meanwhile, another development emerged regarding the July 20 "Chalo Parliament" march. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) said it is verifying media reports alleging that the Rapid Action Force (RAF) used pellet guns against unarmed protesters during the demonstration. The allegations have sparked fresh concerns over the handling of the protests.
Although dialogue between the government and the CJP has begun, no final breakthrough has been announced. The protest leadership has made it clear that demonstrations will continue until their key demands, including the resignation of the Education Minister and broader examination reforms, are addressed.