Chandra Shekhar Azad demands Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, stages overnight protest in Parliament

New Delhi [India], July 21 : Aazad Samaj Party-Kanshi Ram chief and MP Chandra Shekhar Azad on Tuesday staged a protest on the Parliament premises over the alleged paper leak issue and the police action during the Congress-led protest march on Monday, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Azad sat on an overnight protest within the Parliament complex, expressing solidarity with students protesting against alleged irregularities in the examination system.
Speaking to ANI, Azad criticised the police action against protesters and said dissent could not be suppressed in a democracy.
"We take pride in being the world's largest democracy, yet in a democracy, dissent cannot be crushed with lathis. A protest has been ongoing at Jantar Mantar for 30 days; people have been on a hunger strike for 20 days. Was the government waiting for them to die?" he said.
Referring to the police action during Monday's protest, Azad said, "Yesterday, when the nation's youth took to the streets, the brutality inflicted upon them was shocking. I felt that I could not remain silent while the youth wandered the streets, hungry and thirsty, waging a protest. I decided to fulfil my responsibility by joining the protest myself."
The ASP chief said he was protesting in support of students and urged the Centre to engage in dialogue.
"I am sitting here to stand with those youths who are still protesting, to urge the government and the Prime Minister to listen to them... They were not political party workers; they were young people, students pursuing their education," he said.
Azad also said he had spoken to the Lok Sabha Speaker regarding the issue and expressed willingness for talks.
"I have just spoken to the Speaker and explained the situation to him. I am ready to speak with whoever is willing to engage in dialogue. If they ignore us, then there will be a movement," he added.
The CJP delegation had met Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday and pressed demands including the resignation of Pradhan, compensation of Rs 1 crore to families of NEET aspirants who lost their lives and the immediate release of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is undergoing treatment at Safdarjung Hospital.
CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the protest would continue until Pradhan resigns. Nadda, who is also Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha, said a proposal had been received from the protesters to hold talks with the government and appealed to them to end their sit-in.
Meanwhile, the protest march towards Parliament turned violent, with Delhi Police claiming that more than 118 police personnel were injured in clashes. Around 60 protesters were also reported to have sustained injuries.
According to police, protesters allegedly pelted stones and other objects at personnel, attempted to breach barricades, vandalised police and government vehicles and damaged public property. Police have registered FIRs against unidentified persons in connection with alleged vandalism and stone-pelting in Connaught Place and Parliament Street.
Meanwhile, Sonam Wangchuk continues to receive medical treatment at Safdarjung Hospital under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team of doctors. According to the latest hospital bulletin, his vital parameters remain stable, though his blood sugar levels continue to remain on the lower side and his serum potassium level was recorded at 3.2 mEq/L.
The hospital added that Wangchuk was receiving oral rehydration therapy and oral potassium supplementation but continued to decline intravenous fluids and glucose administration despite medical advice.
Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of the Education Minister over the NEET exam paper leak, was taken to Safdarjung Hospital by Delhi Police on July 18.