Centre seeks time as CJP delegation presses for Education Minister's resignation

Representatives of the CJP, which has been spearheading protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over the alleged NEET paper leak, met Union ministers on Friday and reiterated their key demands, including the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Following the meeting, CJP national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the Centre had sought time until Saturday afternoon to respond to the demands.

"We hope the government will remove him soon," Ranka told reporters, adding that the demand for Pradhan's resignation remains non-negotiable.

Another CJP leader, Saurav Das, said the government had conveyed its in-principle approval to two of the protesters' demands - compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide and the withdrawal of FIRs registered against students who participated in the protests.

Union Minister J P Nadda, who attended the meeting, said the government had heard the delegation's demands and would respond after due consideration. "We heard their demands and conveyed that we will get back to them," he said.

Meanwhile, proceedings in the Lok Sabha were adjourned for the fifth consecutive day on Friday as the Opposition continued to press for Pradhan's resignation. The government, however, maintained that disrupting Parliament, rather than debating the issue, would send the wrong message to the country.

The CJP-led protest, which began on June 20, seeks accountability for alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms to the examination system, and the resignation of the Union Education Minister. The demonstrations have also seen clashes between protesters and the police, with several Opposition parties extending support to the students' demands.