Student Protests and a Halting City: Who is Right, Who is Wrong?
Introduction
Yesterday, my daughter reached home 2 hours late from school. The reason? Delhi’s Ashram metro station was closed. Today, the same story repeated, but this time Jhandewalan metro was shut down. A commute that usually takes barely 35 minutes turned into a grueling 2-hour crawl. With around 17 metro stations shuttered and roads choked, as a mother, a question struck my mind: What on earth is happening in Delhi? When I looked deeper, I realized this isn’t just a traffic jam—it is a massive battle between the future of our nation (the students) and the system. Led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and activist Sonam Wangchuk, students have taken to the streets over the NEET-UG paper leak scandal. Let’s look at this crisis objectively.
Main Topics
1. Are the Students Right? If Yes, Why?
● Fighting for Rights: Yes, the anger and agitation of the students are completely justified. Mass irregularities and paper leaks in a prestigious medical entrance exam like NEET-UG have pushed the future of over 24 lakh hardworking children into absolute darkness.
● Shattered Dreams: Students dedicate years of sleepless nights, intense coaching, and hard work to clear this exam. When corruption allows paper-leak mafias to sell these papers for money, it shatters an honest student’s entire life.
● Mental Trauma and Suicides: This systemic failure and extreme mental pressure have unfortunately led to tragic news of student suicides from various parts of the country. If the system cannot guarantee safety and fairness, democratic protest is the only option left for them.
2. Why Did the Police Suddenly Use Force and Lathi-Charge?
● The Security Forces’ Stance: Authorities claim that when thousands of students marched toward restricted areas for their ‘Sansad Chalo’ rally, barricading and force (lathi-charge/tear gas) became necessary to maintain law and order and secure Parliament during the Monsoon Session.
● Questions Over Brutality: However, the vital question remains: Is it right to rain baton blows on the youth of our country who are protesting peacefully? This sudden use of force exposes a lack of administrative sensitivity. Instead of treating students like criminals, the government should have chosen peaceful dialogue.
3. What If the Army Force Intervenes?
● Army’s Role is Not Internal Policing: Many people fear whether the military could be deployed to suppress the protests. India’s armed forces are meant to guard our borders against external threats, not to crack down on peaceful civilian movements or students.
● Constitutional Boundaries: In a democratic nation, the military is never used against its own citizens. Maintaining internal law and order is strictly the job of the local police and paramilitary forces (like the CRPF). Therefore, there is zero possibility of the army stepping in or taking action against citizens.
4. Will This Be a Turning Back for the BJP Government?
● Government Resisting Resignation: Protesting students and opposition parties are strictly demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. However, the government’s stance is that political exits do not fix administrative loopholes, so a resignation is unlikely.
● Pressure for Reform: Even if the government does not back down politically, the sheer public pressure has forced them to yield operationally. Prime Minister Modi has announced fast-track courts to penalize paper-leak mafias and a complete transition toward highly secure Computer-Based Testing (CBT). This reformative action is a direct victory for the student movement.
5. Will the Students Step Back (Take a Foot Back)?
● Unwavering Resolve: The students and the CJP organization are not going to back down easily. Activist Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike, which recently led to his hospitalization due to deteriorating health, has only added fuel to the students’ determination.
● Demand for Final Justice: Until there is a fundamental overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA), financial compensation for the families who lost their children, and absolute accountability, the students will hold their ground. For them, it is a battle for their careers and lives.
My Personal View
As a citizen and a mother, I believe the students are completely right in this fight. Due to the sheer negligence of those sitting in power, the future of our children is at stake. The ministry should take moral responsibility for this absolute systemic failure. However, there is another side to this coin. Shutting down 17 Delhi Metro stations and choking roads in the name of security is severely hurting ordinary citizens—especially school-going children, daily wage earners, and emergency patients. The distress my own daughter faced is being felt by thousands of parents across the capital.
Conclusion: Who is Right, Who is Wrong?
The fault does not lie with the students; the fault lies with the administrative and political framework that forced these students onto the streets and is now causing public distress. The government must immediately address the legitimate demands of the youth and resolve this through dialogue instead of police brutality, ensuring justice for our children and restoring normalcy to Delhi’s streets.
By: Asha Kachhap Kennedy