Mumbai: MLA Abu Asim Azmi has hit out at the central government, supporting its aggressive stance on the paper leak scandal. He has demanded the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Azmi expressed disappointment that unlike Lal Bahadur Shastri, who voluntarily resigned after taking moral responsibility for a railway accident, this government is refusing to accept any accountability despite the suicide of several students. Azmi praised Sonam Wangchuck and said that she has started this fight for the future of students and has gone on a 20-day hunger strike to protest against the shortcomings in the country’s education system. However, he termed the Delhi Police’s actions of resorting to lathicharge and tear gas against her as extremely shameful. Recalling the words of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia – “When the streets become silent, Parliament becomes independent”, Azmi said that Parliament is not in a listening mood at the moment. At such a time, citizens have every right to peacefully take to the streets and raise their voice against injustice and the government as per the constitution given by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. Alleging that democracy has ended in the country and a dictatorship-like situation has emerged, MLA Abu Asim Azmi has demanded the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the police action and ill-treatment meted out to Sonam Wangchuck and direct that cases be registered against those responsible.

Mumbai, July 21: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on opposition parties and political organisations, accusing them of hijacking the ongoing demonstrations concerning the NEET exam paper leak to further their own selfish agendas and fuel political instability.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, CM Fadnavis commented on the protests staged by the Cockroach Janata Party and veteran social activist Sonam Wangchuk, who have been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He asserted that while peaceful protest is a fundamental constitutional right, it comes with inherent duties and responsibilities.

Clarifying the state’s stance on democratic rights, the Chief Minister stated that peaceful, authorised demonstrations would always receive permission. However, he drew a firm line against unauthorised gatherers resorting to violence.

“Everyone has the right to protest in a democracy, but while doing so, one must keep in mind both the rights and responsibilities bestowed by the Constitution,” CM Fadnavis said.

“Staging unauthorised protests and resorting to violence intentionally to create political instability is completely unacceptable. Necessary action must be taken against such acts,” he said.

CM Fadnavis highlighted that when protests lack clear central leadership, opportunists and bad actors often exploit the situation for personal or political gain.

He alleged that several political parties and organisations — having no real concern for the NEET exam or the students affected — have infiltrated the movement simply to incite unrest.

“When a movement is faceless and leaderless, certain elements circulate within it. They try to achieve their own selfish goals by firing from the shoulders of the protesters,” he said, adding that “Many of these individuals don’t even know what the NEET exam is or when it took place; they are merely pushing their own political agenda.”

Taking a swipe at opposition forces, CM Fadnavis added, “Political parties that have been rejected by voters in their respective states are now trying to gain political traction out of this unrest.”

Addressing the police lathi-charge on protesters at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, CM Fadnavis defended the law enforcement agencies, stating that force was necessary to prevent a larger calamity after violence broke out.

“No government ever likes using lathi-charge against its own citizens. However, looking at the chaotic situation yesterday — where police vehicles were damaged, and officers were pelted with stones — if the police had not taken control, far worse incidents would have occurred. The police showed immense restraint and acted proportionately to restore order,” CM Fadnavis explained.

He clarified that he was not smearing all protesters, acknowledging that some participated with genuine intentions. However, he maintained that fringe elements and political opportunists had derailed the cause.

Meanwhile, CM Fadnavis spoke fondly of the late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar ahead of his birth anniversary, noting his distinct political persona, dedication, and stern yet warm leadership style.

Paying tribute at a photo exhibition organised in Pawar’s honour, CM Fadnavis also made a major policy announcement regarding agricultural relief. “To mark the birth anniversary of the beloved late Ajit Pawar, the state government is attempting to release the first list of eligible farmers under the farm loan waiver scheme tomorrow,” the Chief Minister announced.

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.