The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said its agitation over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak would continue even after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike, with the party's spokesperson Saurav Das confirming that talks with government ministers would be held at the Constitution Club of India.
In a video shared by PTI, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said: "Our protest will continue; Constitution Club of India chosen as venue for meeting with government ministers, hoping for an open-minded dialogue."
Wangchuk Ends Hunger Strike
The development came hours after Sonam Wangchuk, who had also been demanding Pradhan's resignation over the paper leak issue, ended his 26-day hunger strike late on Thursday at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, in the presence of Nadda and Jitendra Singh.
Wangchuk said he called off the fast following "a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country," adding that he would detail the terms in a separate video.
His decision followed a late-night video address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said the government would bring in a tougher law against paper leaks and fast-track court proceedings against those involved, with the matter set to be discussed by the Cabinet.
ALSO READ: Govt Orders Suspension Of Mobile Internet Services Near Jantar Mantar Till Midnight
Reacting to Wangchuk ending his strike, Dipke wrote on X that he was "relieved and grateful" and thanked him for his "extraordinary courage and sacrifice."
Background To The Protest
CJP, founded by Abhijeet Dipke, has been staging a sit-in at Delhi's Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities linked to NEET-UG examination paper leaks.
The party had earlier rejected the Centre's offer to hold talks at Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda's residence or office, insisting instead on a neutral venue.
Das had said the government should either come to Jantar Mantar or agree to a location such as the Constitution Club of India, after Union Minister Jitendra Singh indicated the government was open to holding discussions anywhere.
What's Next
With the government agreeing to CJP's demand for a neutral venue, the talks at the Constitution Club of India are expected to take up the party's core demand for Pradhan's resignation, even as CJP has maintained that its protest at Jantar Mantar will continue regardless of the outcome of Wangchuk's fast.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(722x523:724x525):format(webp)/Savannah-Guthrie-mother-Nancy-Guthrie-020226-02-0368cb6ddb864bf09919fd100fe546b0.jpg?im=FitAndFill,algorithm=)
