New Delhi : A day after the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led protest march, Congress MP Pawan Khera on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Central government over police action against student protesters in their march to parliament, warning that the consequences of "beating the country's youth" with lead to facing the "stick of the Constitution" in future.
In an X post, Khera claimed that the previous day was filled with "oppression and brutality", adding to the "injustices" against young Indians. "Add yesterday's shameful chapter to the long list of injustices inflicted upon the youth of this country--when, at the behest of those in power, the sons and daughters of this nation were subjected to oppression and brutality. But those who were beating the country's youth today on the orders of the powers that be will have to face the stick of the Constitution tomorrow," he said.
Khera's remarks are aligned with those of Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who said that peaceful protests are an inviolable and fundamental right and reminded that the "Constitution is your master".
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "Peaceful protest is an inviolable and fundamental right. Every police officer and government employee blindly following orders to attack India's innocent students should keep this in mind: The Constitution is your master. Power does not last forever. Accountability will certainly be enforced."
The remarks followed a day of tensions in the capital, where a protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak led to a showdown between the police and protestors. According to Delhi Police, more than 118 police personnel, including officers ranging up to the rank of Special Commissioner, were injured in the confrontation, along with around 60 protesters also reportedly injured.
Delhi Police are analysing over 250 videos to identify those involved in the alleged violence during the CJP-led protest march to Parliament. This reliance on digital evidence follows the registration of an FIR against unidentified individuals for stone-pelting and vandalising vehicles across Connaught Place and Parliament Street, sources said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a delegation of CJP met Union Health Minister JP Nadda, who is also Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, to press three demands. Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) chief spokesperson Saurav Das said they placed three demands before Nadda, including the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of the NEET aspirants, "more than 20 of whom have lost their lives".He said activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is in a hospital, should be "released immediately". Das has said that the protest will continue till Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
Nadda appealed to the protesters to end their sit-in and noted on X that it was the first time protest organisers had proposed talks with the government.