Protests that started in Jantar Mantar in Delhi regarding the leakage of examination materials, irregularities in conducting exams, and student issues have now spread to other states across the country. Currently, demonstrations in support of Jantar Mantar have taken place in nine major cities.
Among the cities where demonstrations occurred are Mumbai, Nashik, Nagpur, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Banswara in Rajasthan, Patna, the capital of Bihar, and Aizawl in Mizoram. Demonstrations also took place in Katihar, Begusarai, Jahanabad, and Darbhanga in Bihar. Protesters in these cities organized foot marches and demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Students, youth, and local residents participated in the rallies in different parts of the country. They claim that the future of millions of students has been affected by alleged violations related to exam leaks and malpractice. Protesters insist that the Ministry of Education must be held accountable for this situation. During the marches organized in support of the movement in Delhi, slogans were chanted in many cities, and the demand for the resignation of the Education Minister was repeated.
The protest in Mumbai caused the most resonance among all the rallies. The Mumbai Police registered a total of 13 FIRs related to the protests, which exceeds the number of FIRs registered by the Delhi Police. Approximately 400 people are involved in the cases filed in Mumbai. The police stated that the investigation is ongoing, and video recordings and other evidence related to the protest are being examined.
The protests in Mumbai took place near Shivaji Park, Chitabhumi, Chembur, and the Shivsen building. In addition to students and youth, many actors and artists participated in these rallies. Protesters chanted slogans against the central government regarding the NEET exam leak and demanded the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. However, the Mumbai Police reported that no official permission had been obtained to hold rallies in these locations, which served as the basis for registering cases against participants under various sections.
Another incident related to the protests in Mumbai occurred when some detained young individuals published a video. This video showed a police officer ordering them to return home and threatening that if they participated in protests again, they could be falsely implicated. The video shows the police officer saying, 'We will put powder in your pocket.' Following the appearance of this video, questions arose regarding the actions and conduct of the police. The police officer who allegedly threatened the students was subsequently dismissed, and an investigation into this incident was announced. Protest participants demanded an impartial investigation into the threats made by the police and guaranteed that young people participating in the protests would not be intimidated or falsely implicated.
Concurrently, footage of protests emerged from Patna, the capital of Bihar, causing concern among many raising the issue of the NEET leak. A large number of people took to the streets in Patna to protest. During these events, some protesters asked the police if they had tear gas. It was reported that some wanted to demonstrate police actions similar to those happening in Delhi to record videos. Many opposing the leakage of examination materials expressed dissatisfaction with this situation, stating that these protests should not be conducted for creating social media or Instagram content.
Following the protests in Patna, the police registered FIRs in three different police stations, making 268 people suspects. The police also arrested 60 people. Protesters and their supporters questioned these police actions, arguing that registering such a large number of cases against peaceful protesters is unconstitutional and violates democratic rights.
Protests in various states across the country in support of the Jantar Mantar movement have reinforced the issue of the NEET exam leak. On one hand, protesters are demanding the resignation of the Education Minister and accountability. On the other hand, new disputes have arisen in Mumbai and Patna regarding police actions, the registration of FIRs, and arrests.
During the demonstrations of the Kokrutha Janta Party (CJP) in Mumbai, which were held to protest the leak of the NEET-UG 2026 examination materials, numerous photos and video materials were actively circulated on social media. Three different video clips attracted particular attention.
The most discussed among the circulating videos was one featuring 27-year-old model Riya Ahir. This incident took place near Shivaji Park after some demonstration participants were detained. Riya Ahir approached a police vehicle and stood in front of it, refusing to move. The video shows her standing in front of a police van with both arms extended forward, holding her ground.
While the police vehicle attempted to move slowly forward, Riya remained in place. Soon, other demonstrators joined her, surrounding the police vehicle, causing it to stop. The viral videos also showed that after the demonstrators surrounded the vehicle, some detainees were allowed to leave. Mumbai Police did not issue a detailed statement regarding this entire situation.
Another video that became popular during the day was related to a completely different event. It depicted a police car transporting detained demonstrators. One of the protesters quickly ran to the police van and opened the rear latch. Subsequently, several detainees inside emerged. People nearby expressed joy and supported them.
Mumbai Police also made no comments on this matter and did not clarify the circumstances. Furthermore, not all videos were related to confrontation. A third clip drew public attention, showing demonstrators passing by a school in Dadar. In the video, children standing in the schoolyard wave at them in greeting. In response, the demonstrators also wave at the children and continue their journey. This small scene also quickly went viral on social media.
All these videos appeared during the mass CJP rallies in Mumbai, which were held against the leak of the NEET-UG 2026 exam, involving thousands of people. The Kokrutha Janta Party was founded by Abidjit Dipke and demands accountability regarding alleged irregularities in the conduct of the exams. Social activist Sonam Wangchuk is also attracting public attention with his ongoing hunger strike on this issue.
When a major crisis arises in a country's politics, events visible on television are often just part of a more complex behind-the-scenes political game. Following the NEET exam material leak scandal, what unfolded in the streets of Delhi and in the corridors of parliament became a vivid example of this hidden political drama. On one side, there was student anger in the streets, and on the other, the aggressive stance of India's main opposition party, the Congress, and its leader Rahul Gandhi. However, behind this visual confrontation lay a well-thought-out strategy that temporarily froze an ambitious government project it had been working on for three months to achieve a majority.
As soon as the NEET scandal surfaced, Rahul Gandhi immediately took the initiative. His activity on social media and public appearances demonstrated a clear strategy. Numerous sharp messages were posted through Rahul Gandhi's official account on X. He presented NEET not merely as an exam failure but as proof that the entire country's education system was under control. Citing statistics, he criticized states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and labeled the central government a 'leak factory'.
In parallel, Rahul Gandhi visited various cities across the country to personally meet with affected students and their parents. The main goal of these events was to directly link the anger of students and the middle class to the methods and reliability of the central government. Nevertheless, before Rahul pushed this issue further, he disappeared from public view, and the Congress remained in a vacuum for about a month.
During this time, amidst public outrage on social media and street movements, a new, unexpected forum called 'CJP' (Cockroach Janata Party) appeared on Instagram. Abhijit Dipke, who developed it in Boston, USA, returned to his homeland. Under this banner, based on satire and the sharp anger of students, demonstrations against the NEET exam rigging began at Janta Mantar in Delhi. Crowds started gathering.
The CJP protests remained moderate until Sonam Wangchuk, who had previously faced NSA action for Ladakh protests, stepped onto the stage and began a hunger strike. This injected energy into the youth, and the protests intensified the day before the monsoon season. However, the Delhi police intervened. The next day, parliamentary sessions began, and unrest broke out on the streets of Delhi around Janta Mantar between demonstrators and police. Clashes occurred, stones were thrown, water cannons, tear gas, and baton beatings were used.
Videos of crying students, tears streaming in the streets, and scattered books went viral on social media, amplifying public indignation. This message reached the wider public and families: instead of listening to the legitimate demands of the students and ensuring a fair examination process, the government was using force against them.
As the summer session of parliament began, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi launched the second phase of their strategic attack. Here, the scenario prepared behind the scenes began to unfold. This strategy was devised at Mallikarjun Kharge's residence. The most dramatic and powerful visual image emerged when Rahul Gandhi suddenly headed to Lok Kalyan Marg, the Prime Minister's residence, along with Congress leaders, MPs, and members of the Indian Alliance for a sit-in protest.
It is debatable whether they went there voluntarily or were allowed entry. This highly intense spontaneous act once again made Rahul Gandhi the central figure of the NEET protests. While his sit-in protest was being broadcast live on news channels, the Delhi police took decisive action and presented a powerful frame: more than half a dozen policemen lifted Rahul Gandhi off the street and detained him. This entire chaos visually shifted the narrative on the NEET issue in favor of Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi's white T-shirt, which always looked immaculate, was completely soiled from being dragged and the commotion, and one of his boots went missing.
This single frame conveyed a deep message to the people: the main opposition leader would not back down from fighting for the rights of children and youth, even in the face of police violence and chaos. This photograph put the government in a morally defensive position.
The opposition demanded the suspension of work and immediate debates on the matter. However, the Congress employed a very calculated move by making the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan its main and central demand, similar to other protesters. The message was crystal clear: no discussions or normal parliamentary work would take place until the Education Minister resigned. Thus, the entire strategy was built on the formula 'No resignation—no parliamentary work.'
Indeed, although the NEET issue is common to CJP, civil society, activists, celebrities, and political parties, the demands of each group differed. But the Congress clearly defined its position and demands within parliament. Until now, the party has been criticized for fragmented strategies in protests on various issues, but on the NEET issue, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi are absolutely clear, and the entire party stands behind them united.
Now let us turn to the main point of this story, which is considered the true and invisible objective of the entire political event. Before the start of the summer session, hot information circulated in political circles that the central government was preparing to introduce the 'Delimitation Bill' (परिसीमन विधेयक). For this, enormous efforts had been made over the last three months to manipulate and unite various parties in different states to secure the support of two-thirds majority.
However, the aggressive strategy of the Congress on the NEET issue and the unwavering opposition stance on 'preventing parliamentary work' disrupted all the government's calculations. Since parliamentary sessions were constantly interrupted due to the opposition insisting on NEET and the resignation of the Education Minister, any work became impossible. In a situation where student anger rages in the streets and parliament is paralyzed, introducing or discussing such a highly controversial and sensitive law as delimitation poses a huge risk to the government.
It appears that this move by the Congress—shifting the NEET leak issue from the streets to parliament, using the resignation of the Education Minister as a shield, and creating obstacles for the delimitation bill—is currently completely successful. The government found itself entirely surrounded by the NEET issue and forced to constantly justify itself. At the same time, the ambitious delimitation bill, for which a chess game had been prepared for months, temporarily took a backseat during the summer session. The photograph of Rahul Gandhi with a soiled T-shirt and a lost boot on the street not only gave voice to student anger but also brought to fruition the political script developed behind the scenes.
