The protest, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), entered its third consecutive day on Monday, drawing students, job aspirants and activists despite being a working day. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the agitation would continue through the night and would not end until accountability was fixed.
Candles were lit in memory of students who allegedly died by suicide following the paper-leak row, while NEET aspirants who appeared for the re-test on Sunday spoke about the stress of preparing for an examination twice.
One participant from Bihar said the cancellation of the examination after allegations of irregularities had left students mentally exhausted. Dipke questioned why students who reached examination centres minutes late were denied opportunities while those allegedly responsible for paper leaks had not faced similar consequences. He described Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as the “bare minimum” and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet students at the protest site.
Earlier in the day, Dipke was also found accusing security forces and the Delhi Police people of allegedly checking Aadhaar Card of the supporters and protesters at the gates.
The demonstration also drew support from Left student groups and youth organisations, including SFI, AISA, AISF and KYS. As part of its “Fight for Education with Education” initiative, the AISF set up a free library at the venue using nearly 100 books donated by students, parents and supporters.
*Every protester has a story
Away from the stage, individual stories reflected the mood of the gathering. Three friends travelled from Uttarakhand without informing their families, while a volunteer from Uttar Pradesh returned for a second phase of the agitation. Among the protesters was Babita Anjali, a liver cancer patient from Odisha, who attended with her 13-year-old son, saying she had come for the future of every student in the country.
The protest continued under police security arrangements, with barricades placed around the site.
