CJP Stir Disrupts Parliament, Wangchuk Sets Condition to End Fast 

India’s Parliament was disrupted on Wednesday as opposition parties backed protesters demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over alleged examination paper leaks, while activist Sonam Wangchuk said he would end his hunger strike only if the government assured no punitive action against protesters, various media reports said.

Opposition lawmakers, many dressed in black, gathered outside Parliament with placards seeking Pradhan’s resignation and a discussion on both the alleged NEET paper leak and police action against Cockroach Janta Party supporters earlier this week. Proceedings were later suspended after opposition members raised the issue inside the chambers.

The protests, which began last month over alleged irregularities in entrance examinations, have moved from Jantar Mantar to Parliament and then into a wider political confrontation. The CJP has demanded Pradhan’s removal, accountability in the examination system and compensation of 10 million rupees each for families of students who allegedly died by suicide after the exam controversy.

Pradhan, in his first detailed response since the escalation, said the government was prepared to discuss NEET and examination reforms in Parliament. He accused the opposition of using students for political disruption, while saying the government remained committed to answers, reforms and accountability.

The government also sought to underline policy action.

Reports said NEET-UG would move to a fully computer-based format from 2027, replacing the pen-and-paper OMR system. The exam pattern and marking structure are expected to remain unchanged, while the move is being presented as part of broader efforts to improve security and transparency in testing.

At Jantar Mantar, more than 1,000 CJP supporters remained at the protest site on Wednesday despite tight security. The group said the peaceful sit-in would continue until its demands were met. Protesters continued to gather in central Delhi overnight and through the day, while police and paramilitary deployment remained heavy.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation closed 16 stations in central Delhi until further orders, citing security concerns.

Security was also tightened around Parliament, Jantar Mantar, Connaught Place and nearby government buildings. Reports said the government ordered deployment of additional CRPF companies in the capital amid concern over further demonstrations.

The talks track remained stalled.

CJP leaders declined an invitation to meet Union Minister J.P. Nadda at his residence, saying any discussion should take place at Jantar Mantar or at a neutral venue near the protest site. The group said private meetings would be meaningless unless the government showed willingness to address its demands. Indian Express reported that Nadda and Jitendra Singh met CJP representatives at a bungalow near Jantar Mantar.

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das laid out three main conditions for talks: Pradhan’s resignation, compensation for families of students who allegedly died by suicide after the paper leak controversy, and withdrawal of FIRs or an assurance that peaceful protesters would not face further cases. He also appealed to protesters to remain peaceful and asked police to disclose the number of people detained, injured or still in custody.

The CJP also publicly urged Wangchuk to end his fast, saying his health was too important to risk further and that the movement would continue. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke also requested Wangchuk to stop fasting and allow the protest to be carried forward by others.

Wangchuk, who has been on fast for 25 days and is now at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, said he wanted to end the hunger strike but could not do so unless the government assured that protesters would not face punitive or retaliatory legal action. In a letter to Nadda and Minister Jitendra Singh, he said he had received appeals from ministers and opposition lawmakers to end the fast.

Wangchuk said ministers had assured him the government would consider compensation for affected families and a meaningful discussion in Parliament on accountability in the education sector. But he said any cases or harassment against young protesters would undermine faith in democratic institutions.

Opposition lawmakers were also expected to meet Wangchuk at Medanta and urge him to end the hunger strike after assuring him that the issue would be raised in Parliament. Some lawmakers had already written to him, reports said.

The legal track also moved forward. The Delhi High Court issued notices to the Centre and Delhi Police on petitions alleging excessive use of force during the July 20 march towards Parliament. The court directed authorities to preserve CCTV footage, body-camera recordings, videography and other digital evidence, and sought replies within four weeks. The matter was listed for further hearing in September.

The Supreme Court, however, declined urgent listing of a separate petition seeking intervention over alleged police action against protesters. The petitioner’s lawyer referred to videos of alleged police excesses, but the court declined to take up the matter urgently.

Police said more than 118 police and security personnel were injured in Monday’s clashes, along with about 60 protesters. More than 70 people were detained after the march, and police said they were examining CCTV footage, mobile videos and social media material to identify those involved in alleged stone-pelting, vandalism and attacks on security personnel.

Police have registered multiple FIRs over rioting, assault on public servants, damage to public property and related offences. Reports said investigators were also examining whether misinformation contributed to the violence. Delhi Police denied claims that pellet guns were used and described such allegations as false and misleading.

Protest organisers have rejected police claims that the march was violent from their side, saying demonstrators were peaceful and were met with excessive force. Amnesty International also called for an independent investigation into allegations of excessive police action.

The dispute has widened outside Delhi. Pro-CJP or exam-accountability demonstrations were reported in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Goa, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Jammu, Ahmedabad and parts of Tamil Nadu. The issue has drawn support from several opposition parties, student groups, lawyers and civil society organisations.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other opposition leaders, who were detained during a sit-in near the prime minister’s residence on Tuesday, were released later the same day. On Wednesday, the opposition sought to keep pressure on the government inside Parliament, arguing that the exam controversy and police action against students required immediate debate.

The government’s position remained that it had acted after the paper leak, ordered a re-examination, taken action against those found responsible and begun reforms to prevent a repeat. Protesters said those steps did not address political accountability and systemic failures.

By Wednesday evening, the standoff had three main fronts: the CJP’s continued sit-in at Jantar Mantar, Wangchuk’s fast at Medanta, and the opposition’s push for a parliamentary debate and Pradhan’s resignation. The immediate next developments are expected to turn on whether the government agrees to public talks near the protest site, whether Wangchuk receives the assurance he has sought, and how the courts handle petitions over police action.

Compiled from various media reports, including Reuters, The Guardian, The Economic Times, Times of India, Business Standard, ABP Live, India Today, LiveMint, The Week, NDTV, and Amnesty International.