New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is facing demands for his resignation from protesters and the opposition over the NEET issue, is likely to remain in the Cabinet as the top hierarchy of the government is convinced that he cannot be blamed for the leak of the examination papers, a senior government functionary said.
The government is also ready for serious engagement with the protesters led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and suggested that no one should be rigid about the “venue” of the meeting as insisted by CJP, the functionary said.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda has on Monday held a meeting with two representatives of the CJP, including spokesperson Saurav Das, to listen to their demands and promised to get back after discussing with the senior government leaders.
Since then, there have been a series of meetings within the government involving Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Nadda, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Pradhan, among others.
From the government side, feelers have been sent to the CJP for another meeting on the demands of the outfit.
However, Das told reporters on Wednesday that they are willing to meet Nadda again but at a “neutral venue” near Jantar Mantar and only if the government has an “intention” to accept the demands.
The CJP has demanded that Pradhan should be immediately sacked, and Rs 1 crore compensation should be given to the families of those who committed suicide after the NEET paper leak.
“There is no question of resignation by the education minister. That question does not arise at all. You can’t blame the minister for the NEET paper leak as he was not personally involved,” the senior functionary said and cited the successful conduct of the re-test.
The government is, however, ready to favourably consider the demand for compensation for the families of those who committed suicide after the NEET paper leak.
The government is also prepared for a detailed discussion on the NEET paper leak issue in Parliament, where it believes it can give an elaborate response to the protests and the action taken by it after the paper leak and “how successfully the re-examination of the medical entrance examination was held”.
“If needed, we are ready for discussions even for two days or three days — whatever time is required. But unrealistic demands of the opposition cannot be met,” the functionary said.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi when he was staging a protest near the prime minister’s residence, accused the leader of opposition of “backtracking” from his earlier demand for a debate on NEET paper leak in Parliament.
Singh alleged that Gandhi later demanded Pradhan’s resignation as a pre-condition.
On Wednesday, Gandhi again called for Pradhan’s resignation, besides other demands which he said were “non-negotiable”.
Sources said, as part of the government’s outreach to the agitating students and youth, Nadda visited Ram Manohar Lohia hospital and met the protesters who were injured on July 20.
The health minister, along with minister Jitendra Singh, also visited activist Sonam Wangchuk at the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on Tuesday night.
Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 after joining the CJP-led agitation demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Pradhan.
He was earlier forcibly shifted to the Safdarjung Hospital, and is currently admitted to the Medanta hospital after being shifted following a Delhi High Court order.
The CJP has been spearheading protests over alleged examination irregularities since June.
Protesters participating in the CJP’s Parliament march on July 20 refused to disperse despite heavy police barricading, lathicharge and use of tear gas.
The march, which witnessed participation of students and people from across Delhi, was stopped near Parliament Street, where police had put up multiple layers of barricades.
