By Aftab Ahmed, Saurabh Sharma and Sakshi Dayal
NEW DELHI, July 21 (Reuters) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for setting up a foolproof public examination system in the country on Tuesday, a day after supporters of the youth-led “cockroach” movement clashed with police as they marched on parliament to protest against question paper leaks.
The comments by Modi, reported by a cabinet minister, were his first on the subject since the leaking of question papers for a national entrance test to medical school in May, the anger over which has become the biggest challenge for the prime minister in his third term.
Thousands of youngsters marched on parliament on Monday demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the leaks that affected more than 2 million students and led to some committing suicide.
Delhi Police said nearly 180 people, including 118 security and police personnel and 60 protesters, were injured on Monday when they clashed in central Delhi.
The founder of the self-named Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said more than 150 protesters were undergoing treatment in hospital.
Reuters could not independently verify the numbers of injured in Monday’s clashes, in which police beat protesters with batons and fired tear gas rounds to push them back.
Modi told lawmakers of his ruling alliance that the government took immediate action on receiving reports of exam irregularities and 13 individuals were arrested and jailed, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said.
Modi also said a re-examination was successfully conducted and there was no delay in declaring their results, Rijiju added.
“The prime minister said…that to ensure the future of youth is not jeopardised…everyone should unite to ensure strict steps are taken, those guilty punished, and a foolproof system is created,” Rijiju said.
PROTESTERS SAY WON’T MARCH AGAIN
Modi’s comments came as the CJP movement said it would continue its anti-government protest but will not march on parliament as it feared its supporters would be beaten by police again.
Thousands of protesters from Delhi and nearby areas had gathered to march on parliament on Monday, joining a movement that began as an online satire.
The months-old movement by the CJP has drawn the support of millions of young, Gen Z Indians who are demanding the resignation of Pradhan. CJP says the leaking of the papers in May was a sign of deep-seated corruption in education.
Nearly 500 protesters gathered at the Jantar Mantar protest site in central Delhi on Tuesday, chanting slogans amid a mild drizzle. Security remained tight with paramilitary personnel patrolling in some areas and barricades slowing traffic.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the protesters would not resume the march to parliament as the group did not want more youth to be hurt. He apologised to supporters, especially women, who he said were beaten by male police officers.
Delhi Police said protesters had “displayed unruly, aggressive and violent behaviour” and “deliberately violated the prohibitory orders in force”, despite warnings on Monday.
The movement galvanized after the support of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who began a hunger strike on June 28, but was forcibly moved to a hospital by police on Saturday.
COURT ALLOWS ACTIVIST TO BE MOVED TO PRIVATE HOSPITAL
On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court allowed the Magsaysay award winner to be shifted to a private hospital from the state-run hospital where was taken following a petition from his wife that alleged he had been illegally detained.
The court order fulfils one of the three demands of the protesters.
CJP said Health Minister J.P. Nadda sought time to discuss their demands within the government after a meeting with two leaders on Monday.
The demands include the release of Wangchuk, Pradhan’s resignation and compensation of 10 million rupees ($104,000) each for about a dozen students who died by suicide following the leak.
On Tuesday, Nadda visited a state-run hospital in Delhi and met protesters under treatment there.
The CJP’s surge in popularity reflects frustrations among young Indians including job shortages as well as exam leaks, which they say happen frequently.
Dipke and his supporters began a sit-in last month seeking Pradhan’s resignation.
(Reporting by Aftab Ahmed, Saurabh Sharma, Francis Mascarenhas, Rajesh Kr Singh, Sakshi Dayal, Shilpa Jamkhandikar and Hritam Mukherjee, writing by Tanvi Mehta and YP Rajesh; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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