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Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda on Tuesday said the Centre is fulfilling its assurance to withdraw cases registered against students who participated in protests over the NEET 2026 examination, and asserted that the progress and development of the youth remain the government's top priority.
Nadda said that he and Union Minister Jitendra Singh held talks with student representatives in July regarding the ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar and had assured them on behalf of the Centre that cases registered against protesting students would be withdrawn and no harsh action would be taken against them in future. "In July, Union Minister Jitendra Singh and I held talks with student representatives regarding the ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar; on behalf of the Government of India, keeping the students' future in mind, we assured on behalf of the Government of India that the cases registered against the protesting students would be withdrawn and that no harsh action would be taken against them in the future," Nadda said. He added that the Centre had also consulted governments in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party and is now fulfilling the assurance. "We are now fulfilling that assurance. We welcome the decision announced by the CJP spokesperson at a press conference to call off the protest scheduled for September 5. The progress and development of the youth remain the government's top priority," he said. Nadda's remarks came after the Supreme Court on Tuesday invoked its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to quash FIRs registered in connection with Pan-India protests held between July 20 and 25 over the NEET 2026 examination. The court's decision followed assurances given by the Centre on demands raised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Following the Centre's assurances and the court's directions, the CJP called off its proposed September 5 protest in Delhi. The Supreme Court was hearing applications filed by Delhi Police and the states of Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar and West Bengal seeking directions concerning FIRs registered in connection with the protests, in which thousands of students and youth participated. Delhi Police, however, sought an exception in the case of 2,873 individuals in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, citing their alleged criminal antecedents as reflected in the national database. The police submitted that allegations against these individuals included bodily harm and destruction of property. The Supreme Court permitted the Central Government and Delhi Police to register FIRs against the 2,873 individuals in accordance with law. Meanwhile, the CJP on Tuesday called off its proposed September 5 protest in Delhi after the Centre assured the Supreme Court that it would fulfil all three promises made to the CJP leadership. (ANI)
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