SHILLONG: Hundreds of citizens—including children, students, and families—gathered for a peaceful demonstration at Laitumkhrah, Shillong, to express solidarity with students protesting at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, over the NEET examination paper leaks.
Organized as “a gathering of the public, for the public,” participants held placards with messages such as “All eyes on Jantar Mantar,” “You need to resign,” and “We see you, we stand with you.”
Demonstrators said their primary goal was to show support for Delhi’s students, alleging that peaceful protestors in the capital were met with police lathi-charges and tear gas.
“Students are not terrorists. They are exercising their democratic right to ask questions to the government,” said one participant.
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“Beating them and using tear gas is not the way of a democracy. We are here to tell the students in Delhi that they are not alone; we are with them.”
Another protester, present with her family, recalled the tragedy of students who died by suicide following the NEET paper leaks, stressing that India’s large student population has every right to demand answers.
She pointed out that many injured students are still hospitalised and expressed hope they would receive justice.
The demonstrators demanded that the government take full accountability for the NEET exam paper leaks and urged authorities to respect students’ right to protest without fear of violence from law enforcement.
(4FrontMedia news)
