New Delhi: Chandrashekhar Azad has announced an indefinite sit-in protest against the reported police brutality against students. The Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) leader began his sit-in late Monday night beneath the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar inside the Parliament complex. He has been sitting by himself, with just an umbrella in hand and a small cloth beneath.
The Cockroach Janta Party-led ‘Chalo Sansad’ march on 20 July was met with lathi-charge and tear-gas shells fired by the Delhi Police. The Bhim Army chief compared the violence and brutality to the Jallianwallah Bagh massacre.
“I didn’t see that era of Jallianwala Bagh, but the scenes that came out yesterday reminded me of that black chapter of history,” the Nagina MP wrote in Hindi in an Instagram post on Monday.
Speaking to ThePrint, Azad detailed his resolve, stating that he had been sitting there since 11 pm the previous night, despite rains in the city.
“Yahan toh baarish beh rahi hai, humare yuva bhaiyon aur behnon ka toh kal khoon baha hai sadkon pe (It is just the rain pouring here, the blood of our brothers and sisters was poured on the streets yesterday),” he said. “The police and RAF personnel turned Jantar Mantar into Jallianwala Bagh right before our eyes.”
Azad clarified that his protest is in solidarity with students who faced injustice — first at the hands of the education ministry and NTA, and then at the hands of the police. He vowed to end the demonstration only when the government addresses the protesters’ demands.
“If the government takes a decision on their demands, I will end my protest,” he said.
‘Police brutality’
The Jantar Mantar protests have been highlighting failures in the education system, including paper leaks in NEET and other examinations, and the suicides of over 20 students. The peaceful march to Parliament — that demanded accountability from the government, the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and compensation to the families — was met with tear gas and batons. The reports coming from the march have detailed the extent of police brutality. The visuals coming out of the protest depict the police charging at protesters with batons, hitting them mercilessly, to clear out the site.
Azad specifically highlighted the treatment of women protesters during the police lathi-charge at Jantar Mantar. He noted it as a reflection of the extent of the police’s brutality.
“They are hitting women with batons inappropriately. Committing such vile acts on women intentionally — clearly shows that what happened was not right,” he said.
Azad backed the call for the minister’s resignation, demanding accountability for the students who died by suicide after the paper leak.
“Who is responsible for the suicides of these 22 students?” questioned Azad. He argued that repeated leaks in 2024 and 2026 showed a lack of sensitivity and policy response from the Education Ministry.
“If the education ministry was sensitive to its failures, they would’ve made better policies,” Azad noted.
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‘Losing faith in government’
The MP pointed to the involvement of the Indian Air Force in transporting exam papers safely as evidence of a broken system.
“The Air Force had to be given the responsibility to ensure the safe transfer of the examination papers. That shows the lack of trust in lower forces to safely handle the papers. What kind of system is this?” said Azad.
He stressed that without the minister’s resignation, grieving families would lose faith in the government’s sensitivity.
On the question of the Cockroach Janta Party, the group leading the student agitation, Azad maintained a measured distance.
“I am not directly involved with the movement, so I cannot comment,” he said. However, he expressed support for the protest’s continuation.
“We are trying from our end so that this students’ protest should move forward,” he said.
Azad, who has a history of championing Dalit and marginalised causes, including during the CAA protests, has placed himself at the centre of a major confrontation. Using his position as a sitting Member of Parliament, he has carved space for the student voices within the Parliament premises — something the march could not achieve.
“I will continue my protest by continuing to sit here as long as the government doesn’t respond to the protesters,” he said.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)