New Delhi: The student movement sparked by the NEET-UG paper leak is rapidly snowballing into a nationwide campaign, with protests spreading beyond Delhi, celebrities joining the chorus, food donations pouring in from across the country and authorities tightening security around the capital amid fears of fresh unrest.
Even as 16 Delhi Metro stations across central Delhi remained shut on Thursday citing security concerns, hundreds of students continued their sit-in at Jantar Mantar for the third consecutive day, refusing to back down from their demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and sweeping reforms to the country’s examination system.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) closed stations including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Mandi House, ITO and Khan Market until further orders as crowds continued to swell near the protest venue.
The latest restrictions came days after Delhi Police used baton charges and tear gas to stop thousands of demonstrators marching towards Parliament during the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” rally.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) closed stations including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Mandi House, ITO and Khan Market until further orders as crowds continued to swell near the protest venue.
The latest restrictions came days after Delhi Police used baton charges and tear gas to stop thousands of demonstrators marching towards Parliament during the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” rally.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), spearheading the agitation, alleged that internet services around Jantar Mantar were shut down on Wednesday and questioned whether another police crackdown was imminent.
In a post on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said, “Internet service shutdown at Jantar Mantar. Govt planning another brutal crackdown?”
In another post Dipke appealed to police and paramilitary personnel not to use force against students if ordered to disperse the protest.
“Appeal to police and paramilitary forces deployed to crush the protest. Do not obey illegal orders that ask you to beat up innocent protesters. This is your test as well. Will you stand with the people, or with authoritarians,” he wrote.
The CJP has alleged excessive use of force during the police action, while the Delhi Police has maintained that action was taken after protesters attempted to breach security arrangements.
Authorities appeared determined to prevent another confrontation after thousands of protesters attempted to march toward Parliament on July 20, when Delhi Police used tear gas and baton charges after demonstrators breached multiple security barricades.
But far from slowing down, the movement appears to be gathering momentum.
Supporters from across India have been sending prepaid food orders to the protest site, with videos showing delivery executives arriving one after another carrying meals for students camping at Jantar Mantar. The images have gone viral on social media, turning the food deliveries into a symbol of growing public solidarity.
The agitation has also found influential backers in the entertainment industry.
Actors Huma Qureshi and Saqib Saleem visited Jantar Mantar late Wednesday night to express support for the protesters.
Earlier, Salman Khan called paper leaks a “serious issue”, expressed solidarity with affected students and urged that peaceful protests should not be politicised.
Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah issued one of the strongest endorsements yet, condemning the police action against students and urging them not to lose hope.
“My heart is aching, and I am boiling with anger,” Shah said in a video message that quickly went viral.
Filmmakers Pa Ranjith and Rajkummar Rao were among several other prominent personalities who publicly backed the agitation.
The movement has also spread to Mumbai, where police have registered 13 FIRs in connection with demonstrations held in solidarity with the Delhi protest.
Around 400 people have been booked for participating in protests held at Shivaji Park, Chaityabhoomi, Chembur and outside Shiv Sena Bhavan, police said.
Several protesters were detained during demonstrations in Chembur on Wednesday before police dispersed the gathering.
Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose indefinite fast has become one of the movement’s defining images, remained admitted to a private hospital in Gurugram.
Wangchuk said he would end his hunger strike if the Centre assured that no punitive action or criminal cases would be initiated against students participating in the agitation.
What began a month ago as outrage over alleged examination irregularities has now grown into a wider movement demanding accountability, examination reforms, stronger safeguards against paper leaks and greater transparency in India’s education system.
With protests spreading across cities, public support mounting online and on the ground, and prominent voices from cinema rallying behind students, the agitation shows few signs of losing steam despite an increasing security clampdown.
