3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 23, 2026 08:00 PM IST
Veteran BJP leader and former national president of the party, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, expressed concern over the NEET protests in New Delhi, saying that he was pained to see “young girls being brutally mishandled.”
Joshi, a former Union Minister, said in a social media statement on Thursday that the ongoing demonstrations should not be treated merely as a law and order situation.
“It is painful to see young students from different parts of the country assembled for days on the streets of New Delhi. Their anxieties and concerns regarding the examination system are genuine and must be handled with empathy and a desire to find a lasting solution,” he posted on X.
The former MP added, “I fervently hope that this is not treated merely as a law-and-order issue to be tackled through the use of force. It is very painful to see that even young girls were brutally mishandled. Such use of force shall alienate large sections of Indian society from the national goal of Viksit Bharat.”
It is painful to see young students from different parts of the country assembled for days on the streets of New Delhi. Their anxieties and concerns regarding the examination system are genuine and must be handled with empathy and a desire to find a lasting solution. I fervently…
— Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi (@DrMurliManohar_) July 23, 2026
Joshi’s remarks come days after the Cockroach Janta Party organised a ‘Chalo Sansad’ march in New Delhi on July 20, prompting a police crackdown on protestors. Visuals from the march showed the Delhi Police resorting to tear gas shelling and lathi charge to manage the crowd.
Meanwhile, CJP’s sit-in at Jantar Mantar continued into Thursday, with protesters holding firm on their demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET paper leak earlier this year.
Sonam Wangchuk continues to remain on his hunger strike after he was shifted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.
After ministers Nadda and Singh met him on Tuesday, Wangchuk set out conditions to end his strike and the CJP protest on Wednesday, including compensation for families of students who died by suicide, a substantive Parliament discussion, and consideration of Pradhan’s resignation.