Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan – demanding his resignation over paper leaks as NEET-UG is at the heart of the ongoing protest in the heart of the national capital – on Sunday met and congratulated Panchul Bansal, who has bagged second all-India rank in NEET-UG 2026 as a re-examination was conducted due to the leak.
Pradhan shared a photo with the student a day after Delhi Police forcibly removed activist Sonam Wangchuk from his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar demanding Pradhan’s resignation, and with police activated prohibitory orders to prevent the Kokruch Janta Party’s (CJP) march to Parliament scheduled for Monday.
In a post on X, Pradhan said he met Panchul Bansal from Haryana and congratulated him on his achievement, adding that his performance reflects the dedication, perseverance and ambition of India’s young minds.
Bansal, a resident of Faridabad, scored 715 out of 720 in the retaken test, tying with Aryan Gupta of Punjab for the highest score but finishing second under tie-breaking rules. A retest was conducted on June 21 after the original test was canceled on May 3 following a paper leak.
The Cockroach Janta Party – which was founded and named by communications professional and activist Abhijit Debke in May after some comments by the Chief Justice of India – was called “B-Team of terrorists” by Pradhan in his only reaction to it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not speak about this issue.
The police invoke Article 163, relating to parliamentary security
New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police, Sachin Sharma, in a public consultation on
Marches, processions and gatherings of five or more people are prohibited except at the designated protest site at Jantar Mantar with prior permission, the warning said, warning that violators face prosecution.
Police said security has been tightened ahead of the monsoon Parliament session, with increased personnel, barricades and vehicle checks at entry points across New Delhi, central Delhi and parts of north Delhi.
Three-tier security arrangements, including two layers of Delhi Police personnel and one layer of paramilitary forces, have been put in place around Jantar Mantar, according to police sources quoted by news agency PTI.
Debki’s fast continues, and Wangchuk appeals to the hospital
The CJP has been protesting at Jantar Mantar since mid-June, with Wangchuk joining a hunger strike on June 28. Delhi Police removed him from the site on July 18, the 21st day of his fast, citing a Delhi High Court order and his deteriorating health, and transferred him to Safdarjung Hospital, where security was later tightened.
Wangchuk issued a message from the hospital urging his supporters to join Monday’s march regardless, which he called “India’s Second Freedom Movement.”
Debaki, who claimed he was beaten and detained while trying to reach the site, began an indefinite hunger strike soon after, and said the AKP’s demand had shifted from Pradhan’s resignation to the prime minister’s resignation.
He urged his supporters to gather at Jantar Mantar in anticipation of further police action, and said the march would go ahead as planned.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, who broke days of silence over the strike, spoke after Wangchuk was whisked away. He said the basic principles of the Modi government are “falsehood and violence.”
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal accused the Center of breaking a peaceful protest in a “fascist” manner, while Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal questioned why Prime Minister Modi did not meet Wangchuk despite the party raising similar concerns over the paper leak.
Delhi Police confirmed that Wangchuk’s isolation followed court directions and medical advice, and that officers exercised utmost restraint during the operation.
Wangchuk’s wife has requested that he be transferred to a private hospital, a request that the Delhi High Court has refused to approve for now.
