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Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) chief spokesperson Saurav Das on Wednesday said the police had approached the party and informed them that BJP president JP Nadda wanted to speak with them.
Speaking to ANI, Das said the party was not willing to visit anyone's office for the meeting and suggested holding talks at a neutral location near Jantar Mantar.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj on Wednesday said the government had maintained a sensitive approach towards the movement led by the CJP and other parties, which was initially described as a student protest.
Speaking to ANI, Swaraj said the Delhi Police had granted permission to Abhijeet Dipke at the airport itself and that the permission remained valid till 5 pm. However, she said the protesters continued their sit-in at Jantar Mantar for 21 days.
"It is shameful that the Modi government is using tear gas against the students. The youth are protesting because examination papers have leaked and 20 students have died by suicide. What kind of government are you? When farmers were protesting, you tear-gassed them as well and also called them 'Khalistanis'. When women wrestlers were protesting, you did not have a dialogue with them? What is the Modi government scared of the youth, women wrestlers, farmers? You should talk to the youth openly. The entire Opposition is united to raise our voice and say that voilence cannot be used against the students. Why isn't Dharmendra Pradhan resigning? This issue will not be resolved by using tear gas and lathis, but by dialogue. The way tear gas was used against the students shows that you(BJP) are a failed government."
Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Wednesday said the 21-year-old woman injured during the July 20 student protest has shown "encouraging clinical improvement."
According to the hospital, she has been taken off the ventilator, is breathing on her own, and is conscious and responding to commands. Her MRI scans of the brain and spine are normal.
The hospital added that she is the only patient currently admitted in connection with the protest and continues to receive treatment under close medical supervision.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday urged the opposition to allow a discussion in Parliament, saying the government was ready to debate any issue but objected to "preconditions" that stalled proceedings.
"If there is a discussion, every member has the right to express whatever they wish... But if you impose conditions to stop the discussion, it means you don't want a discussion," Rijiju said.
He added, "The government does not run away from any issue," and appealed to the opposition not to "adopt such an approach that stops the discussion." Rijiju also rejected allegations that opposition leaders were being denied an opportunity to speak, saying debates take place under established parliamentary rules.
Senior DMK leader T K S Elangovan on Wednesday reiterated the party's demand to abolish NEET, alleging the exam benefits coaching centres and paper leak networks while disadvantaging deserving students.
"Why NEET when students can get good marks in their school final examination?" Elangovan said, arguing that students from poorer backgrounds are unfairly excluded because they cannot afford coaching.
Backing Rahul Gandhi's protests over alleged police action against students, he said, "If he starts speaking in Parliament, the Speaker or the Chairman will adjourn the house and run away. So he had to fight from the street."
The DMK has consistently opposed NEET and called for medical admissions to be based on Class 12 board examination marks.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, dressed in black in solidarity with protesting students, on Wednesday accused the government of stifling debate in Parliament and suppressing peaceful protests.
"The Speaker says he has to ask the government whether a debate can take place. What is this? Democracy is finished," she told reporters in Parliament.
Defending Tuesday's opposition sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, Priyanka said, "We are standing with the students and raising their voice. What happened to the students, was it right or wrong?"
Her remarks came as Rahul Gandhi and other opposition MPs, also dressed in black, protested in Parliament over the alleged police action against students during the July 20 march over examination irregularities.
During the Lok Sabha Session Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju claimed that Govt ready to hold discussion on NEET paper leak issue.
Additionally Lok Sabha has been adjounred till 2PM citing relentless opposition protests.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused an urgent listing of a plea challenging the police action against students during the Cockroach Janta Party-led protest in Delhi.
"I have the videos as well regarding police brutality... If it can be listed tomorrow (Thursday)... students are there," the petitioner's lawyer told the bench.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined the request, saying, "We are not interested in videos, we don't have time to watch... We don't want to watch videos."
When the counsel reiterated that students had been beaten up and again referred to the video evidence, the CJI said, "Don't waste our time. We don't want to watch any videos."
The plea relates to the July 20 protest march to Parliament, during which police used lathis and tear gas to disperse students protesting against alleged examination irregularities.
Following Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announcet to close of four stations; Janpath, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk and Central Secretariat, the authority has since extend the list to now a total of 16 closed metro stations.
However, Interchange facility shall remain available at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House and Central Secretariat.
Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till noon on Wednesday after Opposition parties continued to protest police action against students protesting the NEET examination paper leak.
As soon as Leader of the Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge started speaking on the issue, ruling party members began shouting. Opposition members also shouted back.
Kharge alleged that the protesting students were lathi-charged and police also used tear gas.
Most of the Congress MPs were wearing black shirts and kurtas to protest against police action on students.
Amid the uproar, Chairman C P Radhakrishnan adjourned the House till 12 noon.
- PTI
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced that four metro stations in the capital have been shut off to the public citing security measures.
Janpath, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk and Central Secretariat metro stations have been closed without intimation of its reopening.
The Centre has ordered the deployment to strengthen security measures in view of the CJP protests and demonstrations by various political parties, officials said on Wednesday.
The forces, all drawn from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), are being airlifted from West Bengal after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) ordered their immediate deployment in the national capital on Tuesday night.
A total of 20 CRPF companies are being airlifted from Kolkata to be deployed in Delhi to strengthen law and order in view of the CJP protests, demonstrations by various political parties and the ongoing Parliament session, official sources in the security establishment told PTI.
Multiple instances of violent clashes during the latest protests have necessitated this immediate deployment, they said.
They said these companies were deployed in West Bengal for the conduct of assembly elections held there a few months back and were asked to stay put on the request of the state government, they said.
A CRPF company has a strength of about 100 personnel.
About 30 companies of the CRPF and its specialised anti-riots unit Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been provided by the Centre to the Delhi Police already.
