Delhi Police on Saturday appealed to students protesting at Jantar Mantar to vacate the site following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, one of the key demands raised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led agitation against the alleged NEET paper leak.
Police personnel used loudspeakers across the protest venue, asking demonstrators to disperse now that the government had accepted their primary demand. Senior officers remained deployed in the area to regulate crowds and maintain security as discussions between the Centre and protest leaders continued.
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The month-long protest had disrupted normal life in central Delhi, leading to traffic diversions, Metro station closures and reduced business for traders around Jantar Mantar and Connaught Place. Authorities have since reopened three Metro stations after the announcement of Pradhan’s resignation.
Following the development, Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh held another round of talks with CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka.
In his resignation letter, Pradhan said his decision was not about “individual prestige” but aimed at preventing anti-national forces from exploiting the situation surrounding the protests.
Despite the resignation, the protesters have maintained that their agitation is not over. They continue to demand ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide after the cancellation of the May 3 NEET-UG examination, withdrawal of police cases against protesters, and a public apology from the Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force over the alleged use of force during demonstrations.
BJP president Nitin Nabin backed Pradhan’s decision, describing him as a leader who played a key role in implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and advancing reforms in India’s education sector.
