First-Time Visitors and Students Keep Jantar Mantar Protest Momentum Alive
Onlookers and protesters alike gather at Jantar Mantar demanding accountability.
Jantar Mantar continued to witness large gatherings on Wednesday as students, supporters, and curious visitors assembled at the protest site a day after the march towards Parliament. While many participants had taken part in Monday's demonstration, others visited the venue for the first time to observe the movement and express solidarity with the demand for accountability over the alleged NEET paper leak. Although not everyone identified themselves as active protesters, many shared concerns about the examination controversy and supported calls for greater transparency and reforms in the education system.
Throughout the day, the protest site remained active with groups of students, parents, and visitors moving around the area, interacting with demonstrators, and listening to speeches. Volunteers distributed food packets and drinking water, helping those gathered cope with the hot and humid weather.
Several visitors who described themselves as observers said they nevertheless agreed with the protesters' demand for accountability and believed that concerns surrounding examination integrity deserved wider public attention. Women from neighbouring states, including Haryana, were also seen visiting the protest site.
Placards demanding justice and criticising the handling of the alleged paper leak remained prominently displayed across Jantar Mantar. One protester held a poster reading, "They came for justice. They got tear gas and lathi charge," referring to the police action during the march towards Parliament earlier in the week. Despite the previous day's clashes, demonstrators continued to gather peacefully, with many saying they were determined to keep the issue in the public spotlight until their demands were addressed.
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The continued turnout at Jantar Mantar reflects the broader national debate surrounding alleged examination irregularities and the future of recruitment and entrance tests in India. Student groups and civil society organisations have maintained that ensuring transparency, fairness, and accountability in competitive examinations is essential to restoring public confidence.
As the protests continue alongside discussions during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the movement has drawn support from a cross-section of society, extending beyond those directly affected by the examination controversy.
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