Students and youth under the joint call of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujawan Sabha, Inquilabi Naujawan Sabha, AISA and Punjab Students Federation (PSF) staged a protest in Phillaur by burning effigies of the BJP-led Central Government and the Punjab Government.
The demonstration was organised against the alleged NEET examination paper leak and the recent police lathi-charge on contractual electricity department employees in Patiala. The protest was led by Sabha’s tehsil president Makhan Sangrami and Baldev Sahni.
Addressing the gathering, Advocate Ajay Phillaur, State Finance Secretary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujawan Sabha, alleged that the NEET paper leak had jeopardised the future of lakhs of students across the country. He said the incident exposed serious shortcomings in the education and examination system and raised concerns over the government’s handling of competitive examinations. He further alleged that policies favouring a handful of corporate houses were weakening the country’s education system and undermining the aspirations of millions of students. Holding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan responsible for the controversy, he demanded his immediate resignation. The organisation leaders warned that if accountability was not fixed and action was not taken against those responsible, they would intensify their agitation in the coming days.
Speaking on the occasion, Sabha’s tehsil secretary Sunil Bhaini strongly condemned the police lathi-charge on contractual employees of the Power Department in Patiala. He demanded that the Punjab Government regularise all contractual employees, fill vacant government posts without delay, withdraw all cases registered against protesting workers unconditionally and initiate strict action against police personnel found responsible for the incident.
Among those present were Paras Chawla, Gary Gill, Sabi Phillaur, Talwinder Singh, Tarjinder Dhaliwal, Sonu Dhesi, Sachin, Raj Kavi, Gagandeep Gagga, Mani Birdi, Gogi Begampur, Aman Birdi, Jassa Phillaur and Honey Atwal, along with a large number of students.
