NEW DELHI: With the Monsoon Session of Parliament witnessing a stormy start, the Samajwadi Party (SP) lawmakers hit the streets, marching from Parliament to Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with the students and also demand accountability from the Centre over the recent NEET paper leaks.
A delegation of SP MPs led by Dimple Yadav marched through the streets, raising chants and slogans over the gross mismanagement of examinations and accusing the government of being callous and indifferent to students’ concerns.
Waving banners like Paper Leak and ‘NEET hai ya CHEAT hai’, the SP delegation, flanked by party workers and supporters, engaged in sloganeering against the government.
Jantar Mantar has been the epicentre of protests against NEET paper leaks, where social activist Sonam Wangchuk sat on hunger strike for 20 days before being removed by the police. Several students also took a vow along with him and are currently on a hunger strike, demanding accountability from top officials as well as the Education Minister over paper leaks.
The SP delegation, speaking to the media, hit out at the government on two counts -- first over failure in conducting flawless examinations and second for closing all doors of engagement with the protesting students.
"Today, the situation is such that the youth want to raise concerns, but the government refuses to listen or engage in dialogue. Despite people being on a fast, the government is so rigid and callous that it refuses to heed anyone else's views. Because of the corrupt government, the nation's youth and students are bearing the brunt and suffering immense mental stress," Dimple Yadav said.
Other party MPs slammed the government over a slew of other issues, including donation theft at the Ram Temple, proposed bulldozer action against a UP University and paper leak.
SP MP Rajeev Rai said the government was stealing everything, from examination papers to temple funds, and therefore this must be ousted.
Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rahman Barq claimed that the group of agitating students were beaten by the police and their delegation was on its way to meet and stand behind them.
“We demand that the government, instead of bulldozing students’ stir, engage in talks with them,” he said.
--IANS
