The anger of the students over the Medical Entrance Examination (NEET) scam was so much fueled by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) that it may not have been able to do anything but revived the alliance (India Bloc) of Congress and its allies in the country. On July 21, the second day of the students’ protest, Rahul Gandhi hacked this entire movement. Aam Aadmi Party and Cockroach Janata Party just kept looking. Now no matter how much attitude CJP shows, there is no doubt that the issue of students is now out of his hands. The way Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mallikarjun Kharge staged a protest at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg on 21st July proved that it is not easy to defeat Congress in politics and strategy. The entire BJP was stunned. The government was forced to find a way out.
Everyone lost their sleep due to the protest on 20th July.
CJP’s dharna, which was going on at Jantar Mantar since June 20, got a boost when social activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the dharna on June 18 and announced a hunger strike until their demands were met. At that time Congress was considering it as a BJP government sponsored movement. But on July 20, on CJP’s call, such a crowd of teenagers, youth and their parents gathered at Jantar Mantar that all the political parties lost their sleep. Many people were injured in stone pelting and lathi charge during this movement. That was the first day when Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka condemned the lathi charge on students. This lathi charge enraged the youth and middle class families of the entire country. This was a question about his children. It was impossible for them to continue playing with their future and remain silent spectators.
Congress revives opposition unity
The very next day of this movement, all the big leaders of Congress, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, surrounded the PM’s residence and reached near Lok Kalyan Marg and sat on strike. SP President Akhilesh Yadav and NCP’s Sharad Pawar faction MP Supriya Sule also attended the four-hour long dharna. Congress again surrounded the BJP government from Parliament to the streets. Now, in a way, Congress has taken up this movement that arose out of student dissatisfaction. After walking for four hours near the PM’s residence, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Supriya Sule and Akhilesh Yadav were taken into custody by Delhi Police and taken to Parliament Street police station. Congress did not stop here. On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi held a press conference and cornered the government.
Political equations started changing
Rahul Gandhi’s entry into this great struggle brought some life to CJP but it left it out of the mainstream. No matter how openly its leaders speak, everyone knows that the movement has now moved towards the India Bloc. The battered Mamata Banerjee also got excited by this movement and announced her support to it. In a way, the students’ unrest has now given life to India Block. However, claims are also being made that sourness has started rising within the India Block. But the opposition parties do not want to lose the opportunity to corner the Modi government at the Centre. However, Aam Aadmi Party has definitely come out against Congress. Only yesterday, AAP MP Sanjay Singh had alleged that Rahul Gandhi is in collusion with the BJP government. But his move did not work. The equations of politics started changing rapidly due to Rahul Gandhi’s strike.
Union Minister’s initiative and Rahul’s condition
As soon as the news of Rahul Gandhi’s protest was received on Tuesday itself, Union Minister Jitendra Singh and Home Secretary Govind Mohan reached the protest site. And requested them to take up the strike. Rahul put forward some conditions that this issue should be discussed in the Parliament and the Home Minister should give a statement in this regard. When the government agreed to this, Rahul Gandhi added another condition that anything would happen only after the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. It would be very difficult for the government to take this step now. That is why Rahul Gandhi talked about Pradhan’s resignation. Videos of Rahul Gandhi bleeding from his nose and being forcefully assaulted by the police during the protest went viral on social media. Rahul Gandhi became famous across the country. Then the government alerted.
Supriya Sule and Akhilesh put Congress in trouble
After this, a period of new tricks and tactics began. Supriya Sule, who had gone with Rahul Gandhi to protest at the PM’s residence on Tuesday, went to meet Narendra Modi in the PM chamber in Parliament the next morning. His father Sharad Pawar was also with him. Not only this, Akhilesh Yadav was also on strike with Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, he also clashed with Congress member KC Venugopal in the Lok Sabha the next day. Akhilesh Yadav said that the topic of discussion in Parliament is not about any party but about the interest of the students. Therefore they should also get an opportunity to speak. KC Venugopal had said that the discussion would take place only when the Education Minister resigns. Objecting to this, Akhilesh asked whether any agreement was reached between BJP and Congress, ministers Kiran Rijuju and KC Venugopal were given a chance to speak and after that the proceedings of the House were adjourned.
BJP is trying to prevent the opposition from uniting
Akhilesh Yadav said that the matter is of irregularities in NEET paper and not of some parties. Therefore, they also have full right to participate in this discussion. There was a clash between him and KC Venugopal regarding this matter in the House. However, Akhilesh Yadav later said that there is better coordination between him and Rahul. That is why he was on strike with Rahul Gandhi near the PM’s residence on Tuesday. Later, the police took Supriya and Akhilesh Yadav along with Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka and Mallikarjun Kharge to Parliament Street police station. Looking at this development, it seems that BJP is making every possible effort to prevent all the opposition parties from uniting and the government to get its bills passed in the Parliament. This is why Congress leader Rahul Gandhi clearly said in his press conference that the government is in panic.
Congress is adamant on Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation
Although till now Congress was calling CJP’s movement as a government sponsored movement. But on July 20, after seeing the gathering of teenagers, youth and their parents at Jantar Mantar, Congress changed its mind and Rahul Gandhi decided to hold a dharna near the PM’s residence. After this the government itself had to be on the defensive. The government is now ready to discuss the NEET paper scam in Parliament. But Congress’s condition is that first take the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. The matter is no longer in CJP’s court but with the strength of Congress behind it, it has become wider. The government has taken several steps to save itself from embarrassment, the main one being that late on Tuesday night, Union Ministers JP Naddha and Jitendra Singh went to the hospital and met Sonam Wangchuk. He has said that if action is not taken against any of the arrested students, he will end the fast.
Administration also in panic
The government is also taking some such steps in a hurry, which is causing loss to itself. For example, on Wednesday at 11 o’clock he suddenly closed 16 metro stations. All government offices are close to Jantar Mantar. How will those who reached their offices return? There will be a crowd of thousands of people and all of them will curse the government. Most of these are government employees and there is a significant number of women among them. A huge crowd remained gathered in Connaught Place till late night. On the other hand, news of student protests started coming across the country. At some places BJP sat on dharna in protest against the movement and at other places students staged dharna. Thousands of people returning from office got stuck due to closure of metro station. On top of that, the Commissioner of Delhi Police was changed a week ago. The new Police Commissioner took charge on July 17. Although he has seen the functioning of the Intelligence Bureau, he still needs time to understand Delhi.
Uddhav Thackeray reached Jantar Mantar
Rahul Gandhi was not adamant on Pradhan’s resignation in his protest yesterday. But in his press conference on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Apart from this, he asked to take action against the police personnel who resorted to lathicharge. They also have a demand that the PM should apologise. Similarly, in the Parliament today, KC Venugopal told Kiran Rijuju that the discussion will take place in the Parliament only after the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. After this the House was adjourned. Akhilesh Yadav got angry on this matter and said, resignation will continue, first there should be discussion on beating of students and NEET scam. In Rajya Sabha, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge demanded Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and discussion under Rule 267. On the other hand, Uddhav Thackeray and Arvind Kejriwal also reached Jantar Mantar.
Opposition parties suspicious of Congress’s moves
The Congress took away the 33-day-old protest of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and they kept watching. Opposition parties are also suspicious of this strategic tact of Congress. They feel that Congress should not lose ground on the strength of the unity of India Block in the assembly elections to be held in March next year. Some student leaders gathered at Jantar Mantar have started demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister. Student leaders of leftist student organization AISA have also reached here. But CJP leaders are not making such demands, they are definitely adamant on whether the talks with the government people should be held at Jantar Mantar or at any public place. We will not go to his house. But now Congress has taken away their movement, they are understanding it but have remained as mute spectators.
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