admin Left student organisations, joined by members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), held a protest rally in Kolkata on Friday demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak, while also seeking the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and justice for students allegedly subjected to police action during protests in the federal capital New Delhi.
The march, which had police permission, was held from Sealdah to Esplanade in central Kolkata as part of a nationwide students’ movement against alleged irregularities in the medical entrance examination.
Carrying placards, protesters raised slogans demanding Pradhan’s resignation, the dissolution of the NTA, which conducts NEET, and justice for students allegedly subjected to police excesses during demonstrations in the national capital.
Protesters shout slogans during a demonstration in solidarity with Cockroach Janta Party in Koklata.
The rally also marked the Kolkata debut of the Cockroach Janta Party, whose planned independent march was merged with the Left students’ procession after permission for a separate rally from College Square to Esplanade was not received.
Dedipya Ganguly, who identified himself as a CJP member, had written to Kolkata police seeking permission for the rally “in solidarity with Shri Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike.” However, after receiving no response, the group decided late on Thursday to join the Left students’ demonstration.
Students hold placards during a protest rally in Kolkata in solidarity with the ongoing protest by the Cockroach Janta Party at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
“We shall conduct the programme peacefully and strictly adhere to all directions issued by Kolkata Police,” Ganguly said in the email sent to the police requesting permission.
