Addressing the concerns of students and parents, PM Modi in his late night message said that the government is aware of the seriousness of the crisis.
The Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue a rare video message late on Friday, acknowledging the scale of the problem and announcing that the Center would introduce a bill providing for fast-track courts and tougher punishments for those involved.
This confirmation was followed by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who ended his hunger strike, and who took the decision after meeting Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at Medanta Hospital. Wangchuk, who joined the RJD protest on June 28, was on a hunger strike to push protesters’ demands for the government to be held accountable for examination irregularities as well as the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Track updates on CJP Jantar Mantar protests on July 24 here
Addressing the concerns of students and parents, Modi said in his late night message that the government is aware of the seriousness of the crisis. “Friends, I know that paper leakage is not a simple problem. It has caused great pain to many students and their parents.”
While Prime Minister Modi has frequently addressed the nation, standalone video messages responding to the ongoing protest movement have been relatively uncommon from him, making this a rare instance.
The Prime Minister said that the government has taken several steps over the past two and a half months against those responsible for the leaks.
“Therefore, over the past two and a half months, many concrete steps have been taken. The perpetrators have been arrested and are in prison.”
The priority was for the students’ academic year
Prime Minister Modi said the government’s top priority is to ensure that students do not lose an academic year due to the controversy.
“Our most important responsibility was to ensure that students did not miss out on even one academic year. Holding the exams as soon as possible was therefore essential.”
He added that the government worked to complete exams for about 22,000 students in the shortest possible time.
“The government has used its full might to ensure that exams are conducted for about 22,000 students in the shortest possible time.”
Referring to the announcement of the results, the Prime Minister said that the examination process has now largely concluded. However, Modi stressed that the government will not stop until the tests are completed and the results are announced.
“Just five or six days ago, on the 19th, the results were also announced,” he said. “There are reports of successful students celebrating from all over the country… but we are not among those who will be satisfied with that.”
The next set of measures
Announcing the next set of measures, Modi said he had directed the administrations to prepare a legal framework for speedy courts and tougher penalties.
“That is why I directed the departments today to prepare provisions for speedy courts. The departments worked continuously and late at night submitted to me a draft providing for speedy courts and strict punishments.”
The Prime Minister said that the draft law will be discussed by the Federal Cabinet before being presented to Parliament.
He added, “The project will be discussed in the Council of Ministers tomorrow. After integrating the proposals of colleagues in the Council of Ministers, it will be given its final form.”
He added that the government will seek to approve the legislation as soon as possible when Parliament meets next week.
“The second week of Parliament begins on Monday, and we will do our best to get this bill passed by the House as soon as possible.”
Justice and Development Party protest
The Cockroach Janta Party created an overnight sensation in May after remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant in which some unemployed youth and social media activists were compared to “cockroaches” and “parasites” during a court hearing.
On the remarks that many youngsters described as an insult to a badge of honour, Boston University graduate Abhijit Debke created his website and social media accounts a day after the CJI’s remarks on May 15. Within days, her Instagram page had amassed more than millions of followers, far surpassing the 8.8 million followers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on the platform.
Launched as a satirical response, the group turned into a youth movement as Debki returned to India and held a multi-city demonstration, on the last day of which – June 20 – he announced a sit-in at Jantar Mantar, saying it would end only with the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The protest intensified last weekend after Sonam Wangchuk was allegedly “forcibly” removed from the protest site and admitted to Safdarjung Hospital by authorities amid her deteriorating health condition.
On Monday, July 20, dozens showed up in Jantar Mantar and surrounding areas calling on the CJP to march to Parliament as the monsoon session began there with Prime Minister Modi’s usual speech in which he said facts and logic leave no room for “disruption”.
Then tear gas, lattes and thick security lines prevented the demonstrators from marching towards Parliament.
Sporadic clashes between protesters and security personnel have since been reported, while the internet was blocked in parts of central Delhi, especially around the Jantar Mantar protest site, and several metro station entry gates were closed in phases.
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