Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) spokesperson Saurav Das on Wednesday, 22 July declared that his organisation — which is spearheading an agitation demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam paper leaks — has told Union Minister JP Nadda that any fresh round of talks must take place at the protest site in Jantar Mantar, not at a government office or residence.

The Demand for Talks at Jantar Mantar

Das said Nadda had extended a second invitation for talks following an earlier meeting. The CJP's response was unambiguous. Saurav Das said: 'J.P. Nadda has invited us today once again for a second round of talks. We have told them that we are not coming to your office or home. They made us wait for four hours, and our time is also very precious. So, we have told them from our side that they should come to Jantar Mantar, come among the people, and present their point here. If they genuinely intend to accept our demands, only then can they call us.'

Earlier, on Monday, Das and fellow CJP member Ashutosh Ranka had met Nadda at his residence, where they submitted a written memorandum outlining the group's three key demands, during the 'Sansad Chalo' march.

Political Backing and Broader Solidarity

Das also welcomed the Congress sit-in near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, held a day earlier. 'Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. It is his duty to (join the) agitation; we all are very happy with the way he protested,' he said.

Das framed the movement as cutting across political lines, stating: 'All of us have the same demand that the government should be held accountable. Dharmendra Pradhan will have to go. Whoever is willing to support this demand, either through protest, by approaching court or writing a letter, everyone is welcome.'

Allegations of Police Brutality on 20 July

Responding to questions about police action during the 20 July march to Parliament, Das made serious allegations. 'Maybe this was the first time in a democracy's recent history that the police unleashed such brutality on the agitators. They had directly aimed to beat on the heads of students, their skulls were cracked open, and legs fractured,' he alleged.

He further claimed that pellet guns were used and that some protesters had reportedly lost their vision. These allegations have not been independently verified, and no official police response was available at the time of reporting.

CJP's Stance on Violence Within the Movement

While acknowledging that some protesters may have pushed back 'in self-defence', Das was categorical that violence has no place in the agitation. 'In a democracy and especially in an agitation like ours, there is no place for violence. The police should detain those who are being violent because such people are spoiling the atmosphere,' he said.

He warned that any resort to violence would shift the narrative away from the core demands. 'The youth are educated, rational and do understand such things will be negative for the movement,' Das added.

Das also alleged that protesters had been labelled as 'terrorists' by some quarters, a charge the group has rejected. 'We don't fall into such traps. The youth of the country are aware of the reality,' he said, noting that many supporters unable to join physically were sending food and other assistance to the protest site.

With Nadda's second invitation for talks now declined on the CJP's terms, the next move rests with the government — and whether it is willing to engage protesters on their own ground at Jantar Mantar.