In a fresh attempt to engage with protesting students, the government on Thursday once again invited them for talks at a time of their choosing, even as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced nationwide protests on Friday against the alleged "police brutality" during the July 20 demonstration. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said the Centre had sent four proposals for discussions with student representatives over the past 24 hours.
In his appeal, Singh, who also serves as the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), said the meeting could take place either at Union Health Minister JP Nadda's residence or his office. However, the CJP reiterated that it would only participate in talks if they were held at Jantar Mantar or another neutral venue.
Government says four proposals sent in 24 hours
Jitendra Singh and JP Nadda have been tasked with engaging the protesting students as the government faces one of its biggest demonstrations in recent years.
In a video message, Singh said the government had sent four proposals for talks with CJP representatives since Wednesday afternoon.
He described the invitation as an open offer, saying the government was prepared to discuss all issues raised by the students at a time convenient for them.
Singh added that the discussions would be held with an open mind and stressed that the government was not treating the matter as one of prestige or ego.
He said the Centre was willing to deliberate not only on the issues that triggered the agitation but also on related concerns, expressing hope that dialogue would eventually lead to a resolution.
According to Singh, the outreach forms part of the government's continued efforts to address issues affecting students.
This marked the government's second outreach on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first public remarks since the protests began, announcing that fast-track courts would be established to ensure strict punishment for those involved in paper leak cases.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said that nothing was more important than the welfare and future of the country's youth, even as demands for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan continued to intensify.
CJP rejects venue proposed by government
The CJP, however, rejected the government's proposal regarding the venue.
Party spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said in a post on X that there would be no meeting at JP Nadda's residence and insisted that discussions take place either at Jantar Mantar or at a neutral location.
He also said the party was not interested in symbolic meetings and wanted any talks to produce concrete outcomes.
According to Ranka, if the government wished to engage with the protesters, it should either accept some of their demands or provide a clear timeline for addressing them.
He added that the CJP had conveyed the same position to the government on Wednesday, but the proposed venue remained unacceptable.
At present, the location of the meeting appears to be a key point of disagreement between both sides.
Earlier talks yielded no breakthrough
The government and CJP leaders had already held one round of discussions on Monday after the students' march towards Parliament turned confrontational in central Delhi.
JP Nadda acted as the government's representative during those talks.
At the meeting, CJP leaders presented three primary demands: the release of activist Sonam Wangchuk from the government-run Safdarjung Hospital, the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of each NEET aspirant who allegedly died by suicide.
The government, however, did not make any commitments on these demands.
Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike for 25 days, was later shifted to a hospital of his choice following directions from the Delhi High Court.
Since the July 20 protest, the CJP-led movement has continued to gain momentum.
Adding to the government's concerns, demonstrations have spread beyond Delhi to cities including Mumbai and Kolkata.
How the Modi government responds to one of the largest protest movements it has faced in recent years remains to be seen.
