Jaipur, July 20 (IANS) Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) National Convener, and Nagaur MP, Hanuman Beniwal, extended support to the NEET paper leak protest being staged at Jantar Mantar and the march to the Parliament seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
He joined protesting students at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over the alleged NEET paper leak and recurring examination irregularities, declaring that he was prepared to face lathi-charges in support of students demanding transparency and accountability in the examination system.
Beniwal had reached the protest site on Sunday immediately after attending the all-party meeting convened ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament and expressed solidarity with the students participating in the ‘Parliament March’.
Addressing the gathering before the march began, Beniwal accused the NDA government of failing to safeguard the future of students and aspirants.
He added that the concerns over paper leaks and the NEET controversy were raised during the all-party meeting before Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP President J.P. Nadda.
In a statement issued later, Beniwal said that in a democracy, students, youth, farmers, and citizens have the constitutional right to raise their demands peacefully. He asserted that he has consistently stood with the youth of Rajasthan and the country and would continue to support their fight for a fair and transparent examination system.
Students and other people protesting at Jantar Mantar have been demanding transparent and impartial investigation into alleged NEET and recruitment exam paper leaks, stronger national laws to curb examination malpractices, greater accountability within the examination system and action against those responsible for paper leak cases.
Delhi Police and paramilitary forces deployed heavy security around Jantar Mantar and the Parliament area in wake of ‘Parliament March’ from Jantar Mantar to Parliament on Monday and the marching students were lathi-charged and tear gas was burst to deter them from moving towards the Parliament.
The protest has drawn support from several political leaders and public figures, turning the agitation into a wider movement demanding reforms in India’s examination and recruitment system.
–IANS
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