NEET Row: Centre Opens Talks With Protesting CJP Delegates But Offers No Assurances

The Union government held direct discussions with Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) representatives on Monday regarding the ongoing exam irregularity protests, but offered no tangible assurances. Union Minister JP Nadda met CJP delegates Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to hear their demands.

The discussions began at 11:50 am in a cordial atmosphere. The delegation held detailed verbal discussions and submitted a written petition around 4:00 pm. "I have requested all the protesters to end their sit-in and assist the administration in restoring normalcy," Nadda wrote on X. He made no reference to accepting the demands.

Both Houses of Parliament remained disrupted on Monday. On the same day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah conducted a prolonged, multi-hour meeting with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union ministers Kiren Rijiju, Piyush Goyal and BJP president Nitin Nabin.

Demands and Wangchuk's Status

The CJP submitted a formal petition outlining three strict conditions. They demanded Pradhan's resignation, the release of activist Sonam Wangchuk and Rs 1 crore compensation for families of deceased NEET candidates. "The peaceful protesters will not rest until the demand is met!" Das said. He also said, "The minister has also assured us that no further crackdown will happen at Jantar Mantar and around. However, no reports yet of police stopping."

Wangchuk remains hospitalised. He is currently in stable condition at Safdarjung Hospital, The Times of India reported. His vital statistics remain steady and his blood test results showed improvement following oral rehydration therapy and potassium supplementation, though his blood sugar is still low.

Delhi Police forcibly relocated him to the hospital on 18 July 2026. The move followed a 16 July Delhi High Court directive to safeguard his health. Wangchuk faces no criminal charges or preventive detention orders.

Political Backlash and Allegations

The BJP dismissed the Jantar Mantar agitation. Party leaders labelled the stir as politically motivated, arguing that genuine students resumed their studies after the fresh NEET exams. A senior BJP leader reiterated that the government gave no assurance to the CJP, saying that the meeting with Nadda was simply the government listening to their demands. Functionaries compared the current situation to opposition-hijacked farmers' protests and CAA demonstrations, linking the unrest to impending elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

The opposition launched sharp counter-attacks. "Prime Minister Modi is the most youth-hostile Prime Minister in India’s history—so youth-hostile that he can’t even demand the resignation of failed Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan," Rahul Gandhi wrote on X.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "These are our own children, this Parliament belongs to them, it is no one’s personal fiefdom." In the Rajya Sabha, Congress president and Leader of Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of paper leaks, but the House was adjourned soon after.

Support grew rapidly. Multiple prominent opposition figures visited the Jantar Mantar protest site. Visitors included Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Mahua Moitra and Chandrashekhar Azad.