Bhubaneswar: Stepping up its attack on the Centre over the alleged police crackdown on student protesters in the national capital, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday sent a delegation of its Rajya Sabha MPs to meet students injured during the “Sansad Chalo” march, condemned the use of force by the Delhi Police and demanded accountability for the incident.
The delegation, led by BJD Parliamentary Party leader in the Rajya Sabha Manas Ranjan Mangaraj, visited Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, where several injured students are undergoing treatment. The MPs met the students, enquired about their health and assured them of the party’s full support in their fight for justice.
Besides Mangaraj, the delegation comprised Rajya Sabha MPs Dr Santrupt Misra, Sasmit Patra, Sulata Deo and Subhasish Khuntia. The MPs conveyed the message of BJD president and Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik, expressing solidarity with the injured students and assuring them that the party would continue to raise the issue through constitutional and democratic means until those responsible are held accountable.
Earlier in the day, all BJD Rajya Sabha MPs staged a protest at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi, condemning the alleged police action against students who were marching peacefully from Jantar Mantar to Parliament. Addressing a press conference, the MPs announced the party’s complete support for the students’ agitation and urged the Centre to ensure justice.
Inside Parliament, the BJD members demanded a special discussion on the alleged police excesses and joined opposition parties in seeking action against those responsible. The protests disrupted proceedings, leading to the adjournment of the House amid continuous sloganeering by opposition members.
The BJD alleged that the use of force against peaceful demonstrators was a violation of democratic values and asserted that every citizen has the constitutional right to protest peacefully. The party said it would continue raising the issue both inside and outside Parliament until justice is delivered to every injured student.
The students have been protesting over the alleged irregularities and paper leak in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), demanding accountability from the Centre and the resignation of Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan. The protesters also expressed solidarity with climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk and accused the authorities of failing to safeguard the credibility of the country’s examination system.
The protesters further alleged that repeated examination irregularities, paper leaks and administrative lapses had eroded public confidence in the education system. They also accused the Delhi Police of using excessive force during the “Sansad Chalo” march, claiming that several students sustained injuries in the crackdown.
The BJD maintained that the incident warranted an impartial inquiry and reiterated its demand for accountability, saying democratic dissent should be met with dialogue rather than force.
