A fresh twist emerged on Monday in the days-long protest that has continued at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, as a spokesperson for the Cockroach Janata Party said the government has reached out for talks, while a senior party leader called off his hunger strike.
Talks With the Government, Possible Meeting With Nadda
According to CJP spokesperson Saurabh Das, the party's delegation could hold a meeting with Union Minister JP Nadda. The development came as supporters of the party set out on a march toward Parliament on Monday after days of sit-in protests. During the march, a clash broke out between RAF personnel and demonstrators, adding to the tense atmosphere. Against this backdrop, the government's outreach for dialogue is being seen as a welcome sign for the protesters.
Saurabh Das's Post on X
Das confirmed the planned meeting in a post on the social media platform X. He said that around 11:52 in the morning, he and Ashutosh Ranka were heading out to meet JP Nadda on behalf of the party. Das noted in his post that the government had reached out that same morning to offer talks, writing,
"Our demands are clear."He added that a large number of young people had gathered at the site in support of the movement. Attention now turns to which of the protesters' demands will actually be addressed once the meeting between the government and the CJP delegation takes place.
Abhijeet Deepke Ends His Fast
Separately, party leader Abhijeet Deepke has ended his hunger strike. The decision comes at a time when several leaders linked to the movement have kept up pressure on the government over their demands. News of Deepke breaking his fast has also intensified discussions about the next phase of the protest.
Wangchuk's Three Conditions
Earlier, Sonam Wangchuk had posted a letter on social media laying out three conditions before ending his own fast. His first condition was that the government must take responsibility for recent failures in the education system, including issues like paper leaks. His second condition demanded that he and the CJP leadership be allowed to make their way to Parliament. Under his third and final condition, MPs and leaders across different political parties would need to assure that they will raise the issue inside Parliament, and if health reasons or other circumstances prevented them from doing so, they would need to come to the hospital in person to give that same assurance. It was only after these conditions surfaced that news of movement leaders ending their fasts began to emerge, signalling that the process of dialogue between the protesters and the government is now moving forward.
