CJP protest day 02 | ‘Students deserve answers, not outrage’: Pradhan’s reply after days of NEET protest storm

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said the action against protesting students was “deeply wrong” and asserted that the party would continue raising the issue in Parliament. Her remarks came after she and other opposition leaders were detained during the protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence.

Congress parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi reached a Delhi police station after Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained during a protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence. Priyanka Gandhi was later released, while Congress leaders continued to protest over the police action against students and demanded accountability from the Centre.

Reacting to the police action on students protesting in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Anita Dipke, mother of Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke, said she broke down after seeing videos of her son during the protest. She criticised the alleged lathi-charge, saying the government should have listened to the students instead of resorting to force, and recalled that she had once urged her son not to leave his well-paying job in the US to return to India.

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Tuesday claimed that all protesters detained by the Delhi Police during the demonstrations had been released.

In a statement posted on social media, the group described the development as a "huge victory" for the movement, alleging that the protesters had been unlawfully detained for more than a day after participating in a peaceful protest. 

Spokespersons for the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Tuesday said the party has called off its planned dharna after its lawyers confirmed that all detained protesters had been released.

Congress leader Pawan Khera says, "At the behest of the Home Minister and the Prime Minister, the police dragged our leader Rahul Gandhi into custody in a truly cowardly manner. They behaved rudely with our leader Priyanka Gandhi, dragged her, and forcibly shoved her into a bus, taking her away disrespectfully. They aren't even telling us where our leaders are being taken. We are all being arrested and taken away. They tore our clothes and acted with barbarity against us. Our demands are very clear: we will not allow lathi-charges against students, nor will we allow cases to be filed against them. We will not let Dharmendra Pradhan remain in his post. The Home Minister must apologise and resign, and the Prime Minister must apologise..."
 

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained by Delhi Police while protesting with Opposition leaders and workers at Lok Kalyan Marg on Tuesday.

Reports also claimed that Gandhi sustained facial injuries during the protest, though there was no immediate official confirmation.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was shifted from Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, Haryana, after the Delhi High Court allowed his transfer to the private facility. An ambulance carrying Wangchuk left Safdarjung Hospital following the court’s order.

CJP spokespersons Ashutosh Ranka, Deepak Baliyan and Saurav Das have announced a peaceful dharna outside the Delhi Police Headquarters at 8 PM, alleging that protesters detained during the demonstration are not being allowed access to lawyers and that a complete list of detainees has not been shared.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday accused Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of changing his demands during the ongoing NEET protest. Singh claimed that the government agreed to discuss NEET-related issues in Parliament after Gandhi sought a debate, but alleged that the Congress leader later added a demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Tuesday removed Vijeta Dahiya from the post of spokesperson after videos of him surfaced on social media during the party's protest in Delhi.

In a statement, the party said it "strongly condemns" Dahiya's "deeply insensitive actions", calling his conduct unacceptable and inconsistent with the movement's values, especially at a time when protesters and party members were allegedly facing police action.

NCP SP Chief & Senior MP Sharad Pawar visited Jantar Mantar to check on the protestors after yesterday’s brutal violence by Delhi Police.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others stage a protest outside PM Modi's official residence, 7, Lok Kalyan Marg

Videos shared by the CJP have reignited outrage over the alleged police crackdown on women protesters, showing one woman being allegedly groped while another appears to be struck on the back with a police baton.

The advisory, issued by the registrar on July 21, warned students, faculty, and staff against political discussions on platforms like Instagram and Facebook without permission, citing institute conduct rules. It came amid intensifying protests by the Cockroach Janta Party over leaks in exams like NEET-UG 2026, which impacted over 2 million candidates and sparked calls for the Education Minister's resignation.

Critics including MP Mahua Moitra called it a gag order violating free speech rights, while IIT Roorkee described it as a routine annual reminder of existing policies; the linked notice has since vanished with 404 errors.

A young woman injured in the police action during the CJP protest here is on ventilator support at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, sources told PTI.

Delhi HC says it will pass order on shifting activist Sonam Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in post-lunch session

The crowd at Jantar Mantar continued to swell on Tuesday as more protesters gathered at the site. Delhi Police reiterated that Section 163 remains in force, while Union Health Minister JP Nadda met the doctors treating activist Sonam Wangchuk.

Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday visited Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Tuesday to meet injured student protestors during the CJP's Parliament March on the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. Addressing reporters, Kejriwal accused the Centre of unleashing a "barbaric attack" on student protestors, which left many injured. He highlighted that many have been discharged while one girl remains, and he met with her family and prayed for her safety.

Rahul Gandhi visits hospital to meet students injured in Monday's 'Chalo Sansad' protest crackdown

Mumbai Police have registered three separate cases in connection with the CJP protest held at Chaityabhoomi in Dadar. Cases have been registered against more than 50 protesters. According to sources, the protest did not have any official permission, and that is the reason police have taken legal action and registered the cases: Mumbai Police

Rahul Gandhi along with some opposition MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday and urged him to allow a discussion in the House on the "brutality unleashed" on students and the government's "complete lack of accountability" for the examination crisis. Besides Gandhi, SP's Dharmendra Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT's) Arvind Savant, RSP's N K Premchandran, among others, met the Speaker in his office before the House proceedings began.

A day after his meeting with CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, Union Minister JP Nadda said the talks had gone off “fine.” “It was fine, it is always fine,” he said in a brief answer regarding the meeting as he arrived for the NDA Parliamentary Party Meeting on Tuesday, ANI reported.

“And where did all those trucks full of stones come from yesterday? The Delhi Police aren't even letting a bird flap its wings here. Every one of our members is being searched, their bags are being checked, their pockets are being checked. Barriers were blocking everything; people weren't being allowed in. In such a situation, where did the trucks full of stones around Jantar Mantar come from?” Dipke told reporters, ANI news agency reported.

Congress MP Pawan Khera launched a sharp attack on the Central government over police action against student protesters in their march to parliament, warning that the consequences of "beating the country's youth" with lead to facing the "stick of the Constitution" in future. In an X post, Khera claimed that the previous day was filled with "oppression and brutality", adding to the "injustices" against young Indians.

In a post on X, actor Sonu Sood expressed his strong disapproval of the use of force against demonstrators amid the ongoing protest and uproar surrounding the medical entrance examination process. He wrote, "Our students need hugs, not batons, arms to embrace, not to strike. The future of our country deserves a hug, not a lathi."

Aazad Samaj Party - Kanshi Ram chief and MP Chandra Shekhar Aazad sits on a protest at the Parliament premises, over paper leak matter, Police action during yesterday's CJP protest march, with a demand for resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Delhi Traffic Police has issued a traffic advisory ahead of a protest at Kisan Ghat, warning of possible diversions and congestion on key roads. Traffic may be diverted at Delhi Gate, Rajghat Crossing, Guru Nanak Chowk, Shantivan Chowk, Rajghat DTC Depot and the IP Flyover. Commuters have been advised to avoid the area, plan their journey in advance and use navigation apps for real-time updates.

Delhi Police has registered an FIR against unidentified persons in connection with the vandalism of vehicles and stone-pelting in Connaught Place and Parliament Street during the protest, police sources said. FIRs registered at the Parliament Street and Connaught Place police stations under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Security has been significantly tightened across Delhi ahead of the CJP protest, with multi-layered barricades installed and additional personnel deployed in New Delhi, Central, North, South, South West, South East and other sensitive areas.