The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has extended its support to students protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and urged the Central government to resolve the issue through dialogue instead of force.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the student body condemned the police lathi charge on protesters during the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march held on July 20, in which several students and demonstrators were reportedly injured. The union said the concerns raised by students over the examination process deserve a fair hearing and should not be met with force.
AAPSU also expressed concern over the ongoing hunger strike by activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is currently undergoing treatment at Medanta Hospital, and said the continued protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) reflects the concerns of lakhs of students and families affected by the alleged NEET examination irregularities.
AAPSU president Meje Taku said students demanding a fair and transparent examination system should not be treated as enemies of the state.
“A student demanding a fair examination system is not an enemy of the state. When the government answers that demand with lathis and tear gas, it is not the students who are failing this country; it is the system that was supposed to protect them,” he said.
Referring to Arunachal Pradesh’s own history of student movements, Taku said the state understands the consequences of ignoring the voices of young people and would not remain silent when students elsewhere are raising concerns over issues affecting their future.
The union said Wangchuk’s demands for accountability in the alleged NEET paper leak, a discussion on the issue in Parliament and protection for students and protesters from legal action are reasonable and deserve an immediate response from the Central government.
“A hunger strike from a hospital bed is not a threat to the nation; it is a mirror held up to it. The government must look into that mirror and respond with dialogue, not silence,” Taku said.
AAPSU warned that delaying engagement with the protesting students could lead to wider unrest across the country. It said a movement that began over one examination has the potential to grow into a larger nationwide protest if the Centre continues to rely on force instead of meaningful discussions.
The union said it has written to the Prime Minister urging immediate dialogue with the protesting students and Wangchuk. It also cautioned that if the government fails to address the demands in a timely manner, AAPSU would launch statewide protests across Arunachal Pradesh in solidarity with the students demonstrating in the national capital.
“Our patience is in solidarity with the students of Jantar Mantar, not with the government’s delay. If dialogue does not begin soon, Arunachal Pradesh will make its voice heard on the streets as well,” Taku said.
The student body appealed to the Central government to act with urgency and sincerity, stating that students across the country deserve answers through dialogue and accountability.