New Delhi on Monday witnessed a chaotic scenes after tear gas shells were fired and several people were detained during Cockroach Janta Party's 'Chalo Sansad' protest march towards the Parliament on day one of the Monsoon Session. The protesters, who are seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over NEET paper leak, were stopped near the Parliament Street, but they defied the barricades, forcing the cops to use force to disperse the crowd.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das claimed the movement's founder Abhijeet Dipke was also detained by the police; however, he retracted from his claim and said he was neither detained nor arrested. "UPDATE: Dipke not in detention or arrest. A HUGE CROWD is still outside Kerala House," Das said on micro-blogging site X (formerly Twitter).
Here's everything you need to know about the story in 10 points:
- The protesters were marching towards the Parliament, defying the prohibitory orders imposed by the Delhi Police on Sunday evening, forcing the cops to resort to lathi charge and tear gas shells to disperse the people.
- The protesters said they were disappointed with the government's handling of the matter and criticised the Centre, saying their demands remain unheard despite weeks of protests.
- "All we want is Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. We are not asking for something impossible that the government cannot fulfil. We are not turning around today; if we have come this far, we will see this through till the end," a protester told news agency PTI.
- Several of the protesters were also detained by the Delhi Police; though the CJP denied that Dipke has not been detained or arrested by the cops.
- As the protesters marched towards the Parliament and clashed with the cops, Pradhan met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his office in the Parliament House complex. However, it is not clear on what transpired in the meeting.
- Meanwhile, several opposition MPs came in support of the CJP protests, including Congress legislator Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who said the government is unwilling to discuss the problems that the students are facing and using force against them.
- "We are all asking for a discussion. There are problems and major issues with the education policy. Yet, you are unwilling to discuss it; instead, you are using tear gas on the students and beating them up. For what? They are our children," she told reporters.
- Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Dimple Yadav also came forward to support the CJP protesters, with her party claiming that she was also detained by the Delhi Police. However, there is no clarity on this yet.
- Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is admitted to Safdarjung Hospital, requested the medical superintendent to allow him to leave "even if temporarily" to participate in the CJP march, asserting that he was feeling "very fine" and that his health parameters were normal.
- Wangchuk was picked up by the Delhi Police on Saturday and admitted to Safdarjung Hospital. On Sunday, the Delhi High Court rejected a plea to transfer him to a private medical facility and defended the government's decision.
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