New Delhi, 25 July (H.S.): Amid the ongoing student-youth movement demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak issue, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Rai on Saturday claimed that more than 245 students, young people and office-bearers of various organisations were detained or arrested in Gujarat before and during the protests. He alleged that the Central and state governments were attempting to suppress the movement.
AAP Gujarat in-charge Gopal Rai, while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters on Saturday, said that the movement, which began at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, has now spread to several states across the country. He alleged that students were subjected to lathi-charge, tear gas shelling and arrests in Delhi on July 20. He further claimed that similar action was later taken against protesters in Patna and Gujarat.
Rai claimed that before and during the proposed “Cockroach movement” in Gandhinagar, several leaders and activists, including Dharmik Makhudiya, Payal Sakariya, Brijraj Solanki, Yuvraj Singh Jadeja, Jigsaben, Gauri Desai, Dharmesh Bhanderi, Nikunj Savaliya, Rahul Bhua, Piyush Parmar, Vinod Parmar, Pankaj Ransariya, Hiteshbhai Patel, Vipul Patel, Ghanshyam Jhala, Babubhai Thakor and Tejas Gazipara, were detained.
Gopal Rai further claimed that some protesters detained at the Gandhinagar police station had begun a hunger strike while in custody. He said the protesters alleged that while the government was assuring them of dialogue on one hand, action was simultaneously being taken against demonstrators in different states.
He said the protesters have demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the immediate release of all students, youths and activists detained in Gujarat. Rai warned that if their demands were not addressed, the movement would be expanded to more states across the country.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
