New Delhi/Mumbai, July 20:A tweet by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has sparked widespread political discussion after he publicly thanked Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, for the ongoing agitation over the NEET paper leak case.
In a post on the social media platform X, the Rajya Sabha MP credited the Chief Justice for giving fresh momentum to public protests across the country. He remarked that the credit for the massive protest goes to “just one person, Hon’ble Surya Kant Ji,” thanking him for breathing new life into the country’s social and political movements.
Raut’s statement comes amidst rising political temperatures in the national capital, where thousands of protesters gathered for a ‘Parliament March’ despite police restrictions. His remarks highlighting the judiciary’s role have drawn sharp reactions across political lines, further fuelling the nationwide debate surrounding the paper leak controversy.
Earlier, Raut launched a scathing attack on the Central government against the backdrop of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s ongoing hunger strike, accusing the administration of being “scared of the youth” and suppressing democratic protests through force.
Reflecting on the crackdown on protesters, Raut told the youth gathered at Jantar Mantar that the government initially dismissed prominent voices such as Sonam Wangchuk and Abhijit Dipke as minor distractions.
He said the government thought they could crush these activists like tiny insects, but the so-called “cockroaches” had proven resilient, with people across the nation stepping out to support them.
Raut criticised the government’s refusal to grant permission for peaceful rallies, stating that a truly democratic leadership would engage with protesters rather than ban their marches or forcibly hospitalise activists like Sonam Wangchuk under police pressure.
He said the government should have addressed the youth’s grievances directly and sought the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to satisfy the younger generation.
Meanwhile, reacting strongly to the protests at Jantar Mantar and the opposition’s demands for the Education Minister’s resignation, BJP Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule launched a sharp attack on the organisers.
He alleged that the so-called “cockroach” protest was nothing but a staged political drama designed to defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Bawankule said the ongoing protest was sheer drama, with some youths joining out of frustration. He asked whether he or Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had leaked the exam paper, adding that constructive suggestions for reform were welcome, but demanding the minister’s resignation was purely politically motivated.--IANS
