Govt remains open to dialogue with CJP, opposition spreading false narrative on exams claims BJP
The BJP on Wednesday defended the Centre's handling of the Cockroach Janta Party-led agitation, saying the government remained "sensitive" to what has been projected as a student movement and was always open to dialogue.
BJP also accused the opposition of spreading a false narrative that India's examination system has collapsed.
It also alleged that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other opposition parties are trying to derive political mileage from the protests.
Addressing a press conference, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said the movement launched by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was projected as a student movement and the government's approach towards it has remained sensitive.
She also claimed that the social media posts alleging Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Geetanjali Angmo was manhandled, Dipke was arrested, a 12-year-old girl suffered a head injury and the protest stage was removed were “false”. “Fact-checking revealed these claims were false. It seemed a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation on social media and incite the protesters,” she alleged.
She said when CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke returned from the United States on June 6, the Delhi Police allowed him to proceed from the airport and did not object to the protest till 5 pm.
"As the protest remained peaceful, police did not create any obstruction of any kind," she said.
Swaraj alleged that an attempt was made to "gherao Parliament" on July 20 without permission.
"On July 20, an attempt was made to surround Parliament which is a sign of anarchy. Even when an attempt was made to surround Parliament without any permission, the government remained ready for dialogue," she said.
She claimed there was no request or message from protesters seeking talks with the government between June 6 and 20.
“From June 6 to July 20, no requests or messages for dialogue were made. However, as soon as they sent a message, the government promptly invited them to meet and discuss with J P Nadda ji,” she asserted.
Swaraj alleged that after meeting Union Health Minister, J P Nadda, protesters promised the government they wouldn’t continue the agitation but then reneged on their word, “They were repeatedly asked not to continue the protest. They promised they wouldn’t but then broke their promise. When the protest began, they spread numerous false narratives, not just a few. They spread various kinds of fake news,” she alleged.
Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the BJP MP accused him of choosing protest over parliamentary debate.
“Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi didn’t go to Jantar Mantar. Instead, he sat outside the prime minister’s residence. Everyone knows the prime minister’s residence is a high-security zone. Rahul Gandhi himself should know this because he grew up there,” she said.
“He had the opportunity to raise the issue in Parliament. However, the opposition refuses to act responsibly; it only wants to cause disruption,” Swaraj alleged.
She also accused opposition parties of vying for credit for the agitation. “Yesterday you saw the opposition itself isn’t united. A blame game has begun among them – “my movement versus your movement” – over who gets credit for the movement.”
Swaraj alleged this shows the movement isn’t truly about students’ interests but rather political opportunism.
Referring to recent National Testing Agency (NTA) examinations, Swaraj highlighted the agency’s success in conducting three national-level exams in the last three months. She dismissed claims of a collapsed education system, particularly the examination system, stating it’s a false and misleading misconception.
