&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'Nothing is more important than...': PM Modi announces BIG decision as Delhi student protest grows")
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (July 23) has broken his silence on the students' protest in New Delhi over examination paper leaks and said that his government has decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure “swift and stringent punishment” for those involved in irregularities. He also said that "nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth.” Amid growing crowd in New Delhi's Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, PM Modi, in a post on X, vowed to not spare those who try to harm the future of our youth. He said that he has directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps to set up fast-track courts. The Indian PM said that it is in continuation with the series of steps for safeguarding the interests of students.
However, he did not mention anything about Pradhan's resignation. He also did not mention the word NEET or refer to the students who died by suicide after the leaks. Neither did the PM mention anything about the Parliament march on Jul 20, in which several videos showed police baton-charging the protesters and chasing and abusing them. He also did not mention Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) or activist Sonam Wangchuk in his post.
Protest at Jantar Mantar
The protest at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar that was initially started by CJP - a satirical platform formed online after India's Chief Justice Surya Kant called unemployed youths of the country as “cockroaches” while hearing a case. Though he later clarified that his comments were taken out of context, CJP gained traction and decided to take their movement outside the world of internet. CJP members formed a group and began their protest at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar demanding resignation of the Union Education Minister. Days later, activist Sonam Wangchuk also joined the protesters and started a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar. The protest has been going on for over a month now with protesters demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and greater accountability in matters of education in the country.
