Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jul 24: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Friday claimed that the Central government has sought time until Saturday afternoon to respond to its key demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, following nearly two hours of discussions between senior Union ministers and party representatives in New Delhi.

Addressing the media after the meeting, CJP Chief Spokesperson Saurav Das said the delegation placed all of its demands before the government, with Pradhan’s resignation remaining the party’s primary condition.

“Our first demand is the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan,” Das said.

He added that the party also sought compensation for families who allegedly lost their children in connection with the NEET examination controversy and demanded that no FIRs or legal proceedings be initiated against students and youths who participated in the July protests. The CJP further urged the government to withdraw any cases already registered against peaceful demonstrators.

According to Das, the Centre responded positively to two of the party’s demands by indicating its willingness to provide compensation to affected families and ensure that peaceful protesters are not subjected to legal action.

However, he said the government requested additional time before taking a final decision on the demand for the Education Minister’s resignation.

“We had a detailed discussion with the government on the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. The government has sought time till tomorrow. If there is no resignation, the movement will become much bigger from here,” Das said.

The Central government has not officially confirmed the CJP’s account of the discussions or the claims made by the party following the meeting.

The talks took place at Vithal Patel House in the national capital and were attended by Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh on behalf of the government, while the CJP was represented by Chief Spokesperson Saurav Das and National Spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka.

The CJP had agreed to enter into dialogue after the government reportedly accepted two of its preconditions — that peaceful protesters would not face legal action and that adequate compensation would be provided to families affected by the recent examination irregularities. Despite the progress, the party reiterated that Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation remains a non-negotiable demand.

Nadda Confirms Talks Will Resume

After the meeting, Union Minister JP Nadda confirmed that discussions would continue on Saturday, describing the interaction as constructive and focused on both the party’s demands and reforms to the examination system.

“The CJP delegation came here, and we had discussions with them. We listened to them and also spoke on other issues. We will meet them again tomorrow during the day and carry the talks forward,” Nadda told reporters.

He said the delegation had submitted three principal demands along with five suggestions aimed at strengthening the country's examination system.

“The meeting went on for almost two hours. They had three main demands and five reform suggestions for exams. We have told them that we will meet them again tomorrow afternoon and inform them about the discussion we have had within the government,” he said.

The discussions came shortly after social activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike after receiving a written assurance from the Centre regarding action on the NEET examination issue and reforms in the competitive examination system.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Union Cabinet would consider a draft legislation proposing the establishment of fast-track courts and stricter punishment for those involved in paper leak cases.

In a video message, the Prime Minister said the government remained committed to taking stringent action against those responsible for examination irregularities while protecting the interests of millions of students across the country.