AAPSU backs NEET protesters, warns of statewide stir in Arunachal if Centre ignores talks demand

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) on Thursday extended its support to students protesting at Jantar Mantar over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and condemned the police action during the 'Chalo Sansad' march, warning that it could launch a statewide agitation if the Centre fails to initiate dialogue with the protesters.

In a statement, the apex students' body alleged that the lathi charge on protesters during the July 20 march, in which several students and demonstrators were reportedly injured, was unacceptable. It urged the Central government to address the concerns of the agitating students through dialogue instead of force.

AAPSU also expressed solidarity with activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on a hunger strike and undergoing treatment at a hospital. The union said his protest, along with the ongoing agitation, reflected the concerns of lakhs of students and families whose futures had allegedly been jeopardised by a compromised examination process.

AAPSU president Meje Taku said students demanding a fair and transparent examination system should not be treated as enemies of the state.

"When the government answers that demand with lathis and tear gas, it is not the students who are failing this country; it is the system that was supposed to protect them," he said.

Taku said Arunachal Pradesh understood the consequences of ignoring the voices of the youth and would not remain silent while students elsewhere in the country were allegedly being assaulted for raising legitimate concerns.

The union said Wangchuk's demands, including accountability for the alleged NEET paper leak, discussion of the issue in Parliament and protection of protesters from legal action, were reasonable and deserved a direct response from the Centre. It also backed demands for ministerial accountability raised by the protesting group.

Describing the hunger strike as a call for justice rather than a threat, AAPSU urged the government to respond through dialogue and transparency instead of silence.

The students' body warned that continued delay in engaging with the protesters could trigger wider unrest across the country, adding that what began as a movement over one examination had the potential to evolve into a nationwide agitation.

AAPSU said it had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging immediate talks with the protesting students and Wangchuk. It warned that if the government failed to respond, it would organise statewide protests across Arunachal Pradesh in solidarity with the demonstrators at Jantar Mantar. Appealing to the Centre to act with urgency, the union said students across the country deserved accountability and answers rather than the use of force.

Also Read: Centre Approves Three New Helipads for Meghalaya