The momentum from Jantar Mantar has hit Bengaluru! On Thursday (July 23), hundreds of students, parents, professionals, and activists took over Freedom Park to back the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and Sonam Wangchuk’s demands.
- The Vibe: As night fell, protesters lit candles and flashed mobile torches in a massive show of solidarity. The crowd brought top-tier creativity with placards reading, “Pregnancy craving: Accountability,” “The kids are here to school you,” and even a child’s sign stating, “Dharmendra uncle, please get up from the chair. I want a better education system”.
- The Organizers: Spearheaded by the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS), the rally saw massive backing from AISA, AIDSO, and political groups like AAP and BNP.
- The Demands: They aren’t just asking for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Student leaders from AISA are demanding a complete rollback—scrapping NEET, the NTA, and the National Education Policy (NEP). They want to revert to the old system where states handle their own MBBS entrance exams.
- Symbolic Pushback: A theatre artist named Naman brought a rod symbolizing police lathis, stating he ran from the July 21 Delhi crackdown but stood his ground in Bengaluru, daring the government to hit him while he continues to question them. Author and former Minister B.T. Lalitha Naik also joined the rally, strongly advocating for the return of the state-level entrance exam system.
