Congress Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda on Sunday praised the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) for raising pubic issues through a protest at Jantar Mantar, but questioned the quick permission for the demonstration while similar requests from opposition parties, farmers and sportspersons had allegedly been denied in the past.
“It is good that the CJP is raising issues related to the public, especially the youth of the country, but it surprises us how easily they received permission to protest at Jantar Mantar. Congress and other opposition parties have repeatedly been denied such permissions. Even farmers, who agitated for over a year on Delhi’s borders, were not allowed to protest there. Around 750 farmers lost their lives during that movement. Our women wrestlers were also asked to vacate Jantar Mantar during their protest," Hooda said while interacting with media persons on the sidelines of a public meeting organised by party leader Sher Pratap Sheri.
“If a newly formed organisation could secure permission in a short period, then opposition parties and social groups should also be granted the same democratic space,” he said.
He also highlighted the issue of the NEET paper leak and launched an attack on the Union government, demanding accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
He demanded an immediate resignation of the Education Minister for justice to around 22 lakh students who appeared for the examination.
Hooda said that prestigious examinations such as PMT, JEE, and medical entrance tests were conducted smoothly before 2014 without major paper leak controversies.
“Why have paper leaks become a recurring issue after 2014. Around 90 examination papers have reportedly been leaked in recent years. Every year, students face uncertainty, stress, and disappointment due to such incidents,” he said.
He also referred to reports of student suicides due to a paper leak.
“Government must fix responsibility instead of shifting officials from one department to another. Decision to appoint the former CBSE Chairman to a senior position in the Agriculture Department is not a punishment. It sent the wrong message regarding accountability,” he added.
Responding to allegations that he was deliberately targeted by police during a protest on Saturday in Kurukshetra over the NEET issue, Hooda said, “Democracy is the target. Every youth of Haryana whose voice we are trying to raise is the target.”
Accompanied by former state youth Congress president Divyanshu Budhiraja, former MLAs Rakesh Kamboj, Bakshish Singh Virk, Dharampal Gondar, Sultan Singh Jadola, Urban District Congress president Parag Gaba, and other senior leaders, Hooda also attacked the BJP government over rising inflation, claiming that diesel, petrol, and LPG prices had reached record highs under the current government.
Referring to the latest increase in domestic cooking gas prices, he said ordinary families were already struggling with the burden of inflation.
He also accused the BJP for not fulfilling the promises made during elections.
