CJP Protest in Delhi LIVE: Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Adjourned As Opposition Protest Police Brutality

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.