Cockroach Janta Party's agitation nudges Modi govt's change of strategy

The stand-off between the Centre and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the alleged NEET paper leak continued on Friday, with no breakthrough on the protesters' key demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The two sides are scheduled to hold another round of talks today, a day after an across-the-table meeting on Friday.

The government's talks with the CJP go to show the Narendra Modi government has shifted its strategy as it scrambled for a response to the outfit, moving from being dismissive to calibrated political engagement and negotiations, followed by a series of announcements including fast-track courts for paper leak cases and proposed legislation.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on X that the government had decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks.

Even as that announcement came, senior ministers continued negotiations with activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose 26-day hunger strike became the emotive centrepiece of the agitation and whose appeal among young people had grown well beyond the immediate issue of the paper leak.

The government-CJP discussions, which were also facilitated by Congress lawmaker Vivek Tankha to a certain extent owing to his proximity to the Wangchuk family as their lawyer, culminated late on Thursday night with the activist ending his fast in a corporate hospital in the presence of Union ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh.

The engagement with Wangchuk suggested that the government saw him as someone whose moral authority and broad appeal among young protesters, stemming from his non-partisan image, could help ease tensions.

Close to midnight on Thursday, Modi released a video statement on X and Instagram announcing that a Bill providing for stringent action against those involved in paper leaks would be introduced in Parliament next week. On Friday, the Union Cabinet approved the proposed legislation.

On Friday evening, officials said the National Testing Agency terminated 47 officials and is set to pursue legal and criminal action against some others.

The flurry of actions over the past two days stood in sharp contrast to the government's initial response to the movement, which ranged from dismissive remarks by BJP leaders to limited political engagement even after the agitation gained momentum.

The CJP launched its indefinite protest at Jantar Mantar on 20 June, demanding Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including NEET. Eight days later, Wangchuk and six AISA student activists began a hunger strike at the protest site.

The agitation gathered momentum around a fortnight later after videos of Wangchuk's deteriorating health during the hunger strike went viral online. On 18 July, police forcibly shifted him to Safdarjung Hospital, further fuelling widespread anger among students and protesters.

The discontent spilt over into a massive march to Parliament on 20 July, which witnessed a strong police response involving a lathicharge and the use of tear gas.

The police action was the turning point that swelled the crowds at Jantar Mantar and forced the Centre to reassess its approach. That very day, Nadda held the first formal meeting with the CJP leadership at his residence, signalling the beginning of political engagement.