Supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) have been demonstrating at Jantar Mantar in Delhi for nearly a month. With their demand for the education minister’s resignation still unmet, they have now called protests across the country. The organisation has called on people of all classes and professions to join Friday’s programme.
Announcing the nationwide programme on Thursday, CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka said the movement must be spread beyond Delhi. Peaceful protests must be held in every city and village. “Let us take this protest to the national level. Please hold peaceful protests in every city and village across the country on July 24 (Friday),” he said.
CJP founder Abhijit Deepak also signalled that the demands would be widened along with the movement. Speaking to journalists on Thursday and addressing Narendra Modi, Abhijit said the protests would grow if the demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation was ignored. If the government did not act, he said, the movement would not stay confined to the demand for the education minister’s resignation.
“I request Modiji once again: accept Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Otherwise the matter will go as far as a demand for your own resignation,” Abhijit said.
Calling the education minister incompetent and a failure, Abhijit said the interests of crores of students should come before saving one minister. An incompetent minister cannot be more important than students. If a failed and incompetent minister is given more importance, he said, “remember, no one will vote for you in India’s elections.”
Amid the worsening situation, Union minister J P Nadda said on Thursday that the government is ready for another round of talks with the protesters. He mentioned his own office or residence as a venue. The CJP had earlier said the next round of talks must be held either at the protest site or at some neutral place.
Hindustan Times journalists saw a tense situation in Delhi’s Sansad Marg-Tolstoy Lane area at about 4:30pm local time on Thursday. Protesters and police faced each other there, with only a rope barricade between them. Tension rose at one point when bottles were thrown at police.
The government has also extended the suspension of internet services in central Delhi to contain the movement. Under the new instruction, mobile operators have been told to keep the internet shut in the area until midnight.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called a meeting at his residence to decide what to do next. Hindustan Times, citing the news agency ANI, reported that leaders of other opposition parties are expected to attend. The Rapid Action Force has already been deployed outside Rahul’s residence.
The social activist Anna Hazare said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to avert a possible worsening of the situation. Speaking to journalists in Maharashtra on Thursday, he said he had written to Modi so that force would not be used against the protesting students.
Anna Hazare said violence solves no problem. Violence will only make matters worse, he said.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report