The Centre on Monday initiated its first formal dialogue with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) as Union Minister JP Nadda met two representatives of the organisation amid its high-profile ‘Chalo Sansad’ march in New Delhi.
The meeting comes after weeks of protests led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and CJP members over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including the NEET paper leak controversy.
CJP submits charter of demands to JP Nadda
CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka met Union Minister JP Nadda at his residence and handed over a written memorandum listing the organisation’s key demands.
According to Das, the representatives waited for more than two hours before holding a brief discussion with the minister.
Speaking after the meeting, Das said the memorandum had been submitted and that Nadda assured the delegation he would discuss the issues with the BJP leadership before responding.
The Union government has not yet issued an official statement on the outcome of the meeting.
Three major demands raised by the CJP
During the meeting, the CJP reiterated three primary demands before the Centre:
- Immediate release of activist Sonam Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital.
- Resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities.
- Compensation of ₹1 crore for the families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide.
The organisation has also continued to press for comprehensive reforms in India’s examination system.
Government opens communication channel
The meeting marked the first formal engagement between the government and CJP since the protest movement intensified.
Earlier in the day, Saurav Das said the government had reached out for talks and reiterated that the organisation remained open to dialogue.
He added that while the protesters had clearly communicated their demands, the next step depended on the government’s response.
Protest continues despite talks
The discussions with JP Nadda took place even as thousands of protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar and attempted to march towards Parliament under the banner of ‘Chalo Sansad’.
Delhi Police stopped the procession with multiple barricades amid heightened security during the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Several protesters alleged that police used lathi-charge, tear gas and detentions to disperse the crowd after they attempted to move towards Parliament. Police maintained that security arrangements were necessary to maintain law and order.
Despite the government’s outreach, protesters said the agitation would continue until their demands receive a concrete response.
Abhijeet Dipke ends fast; Wangchuk seeks discharge
In another significant development, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke ended his indefinite hunger strike following a request from activist Sonam Wangchuk.
Meanwhile, Wangchuk appealed to hospital authorities to discharge him from Safdarjung Hospital, stating that his health had improved and expressing his desire to rejoin the protest march.
He said he wanted to participate in the movement and continue advocating for examination reforms alongside students and supporters.
