Srinagar: Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh on Friday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “intervene effectively” so that the protesting students in Delhi feel that they are being listened to at the highest level.
In a statement, Singh, a former ‘Sadr-e-Riyasat’ of Jammu and Kashmir, said police action was not a solution to address the issue.
“As a PhD student myself and also as former chancellor of four universities, I have deep concern for the welfare of students around the country. This whole situation could have been neatly avoided had the concerned minister himself offered to resign after the NEET debacle,” he said.
Singh said it was “unfortunate” that the resignation did not happen and student protests have broken out around the country.
“I would appeal to the prime minister, even at this late hour, to intervene effectively so that the students feel that they are being listened to at the highest level. Police action, harsh as it invariably is, is not the solution to the broader problem that faces the nation. This involves, among other demands, restructuring of our whole educational policy, perhaps under a new education commission,” he said.
The former Union minister said he was relieved that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has called off his hunger strike.
“I express my deep sympathy to all the students and police personnel who were injured during the protests in Delhi recently and wish them a speedy return to health,” he added.
On May 12, the National Testing Agency cancelled the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG, held on May 3 for medical admissions amid allegations of paper leak.
A re-exam was then held on June 21.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) launched an agitation at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 20 demanding, among other things, resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, educational reforms and Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of those who have died due to the paper leak.
Wangchuk ended his hunger strike after 26 days late on Thursday.
