Second Round Of Discussions Ends In Delhi
The second round of discussions between the Union government and representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) concluded in New Delhi on Friday, marking another key development in the ongoing NEET-UG 2026 paper leak protests. During the meeting, the CJP delegation submitted a five-paragraph written memorandum outlining its demands to the government. Officials have not yet disclosed the outcome of the discussions.
The Centre was represented by Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, while Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka attended on behalf of the CJP. The talks were held at Vithalbhai Patel House after the protesters sought a neutral venue for negotiations.
Resignation Demand Remains At The Centre Of Protest
Ahead of the meeting, CJP founding president Abhijeet Dipke reiterated that the protest at Jantar Mantar would continue until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down. He maintained that the party would not accept any resolution short of the minister’s resignation, despite agreeing to participate in fresh talks with the government.
Dipke also welcomed activist Sonam Wangchuk’s decision to end his 26-day hunger strike, describing his life as invaluable to the nation.
Government Assurance Influenced Wangchuk’s Decision
Meanwhile, Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Dr Gitanjali Angmo, said the activist agreed to end his fast only after receiving a written assurance from the Centre that no legal action would be taken against students participating peacefully in the protests.
She added that the future course of the agitation would be decided by the student leadership after reviewing the outcome of the meeting with Union ministers.
Political War Of Words Intensifies
The political confrontation over the student movement continued alongside the negotiations.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged that he was prevented from raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, claiming his microphone was switched off during proceedings. He also asserted that there should be no discussion until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
Separately, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in an opinion article, accused the Centre of mishandling the student protests and failing to address demands for accountability and education reforms. She alleged that the government’s response reflected insensitivity towards students.
The BJP strongly rejected her criticism, with party MP Nishikant Dubey accusing the Congress of attempting to gain political mileage from the controversy and questioning its credibility to lecture the government on the issue.
While the latest round of talks has concluded, both sides are yet to announce whether any consensus has been reached. The developments come as protests over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak continue across the country.
