Govt's 'your convenience, any time' appeal for talks. CJP has a condition
The government again invited the protesting students for talks, saying four proposals were sent in the last 24 hours. The outreach came as the CJP called for nationwide protests on Friday.
In a big outreach to the protesting students, the government on Thursday again invited them for talks at their "convenience" and at "any time" as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called for nationwide protests tomorrow against "police brutality" during the July 20 agitation. Union Minister Jitendra Singh underlined that the government had sent four proposals to "our youth friends" for discussions in the last 24 hours.
In his appeal, Singh, who is also the MoS in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), said the talks could be held either at Union Health Minister JP Nadda's residence or office. However, the CJP made it clear that it would hold talks with the government only at a neutral venue or at Jantar Mantar.
'SENT 4 PROPOSALS FOR TALKS IN 24 HOURS'
Singh and Nadda have been pressed into action to reach out to the students by the government as it faces one of the largest protests in the past few years.
"The government has sent four proposals for discussions with their (CJP) representatives since last afternoon... This is a standing invitation to all our youth friends that the government is ready for discussions on all issues at your convenience, at any time," Singh said in a video message.
The Union Minister stressed that the talks could be held with an "open mind", underscoring that the government was not making it an issue of prestige or ego.
"We are ready to discuss the issue on which the agitation has happened, and all the other related issues as well," Singh said.
"Slowly, by way of discussion, we will progress towards a solution. This is a part of the series of continuous steps taken by the government for the welfare of the students," he further said.
This was the second such outreach by the government on Thursday. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first public remarks amid the protests, announced that the government would set up fast-track courts to ensure strict punishment for those involved in paper leaks.
"Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth," PM Modi tweeted, as demands for the sacking of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan intensified.
COCKROACH PARTY RESPONDS
However, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka was quick to turn down the proposal. In a post on X, Ranka asserted that the meeting be held at Jantar Mantar or at a neutral venue.
"There will be no meeting at JP Nadda's residence," Ranka said.
"And this time, we don't want empty gestures or mere optics. If you are meeting us, you can't waste our time. You will have to accept some of our demands or clearly tell us how many days it will take to fulfil them," he further said.
Ranka said the CJP had made its stance clear on Wednesday as well, but the proposal was turned down. For now, it seems the location of the talks has become a major bone of contention.
The government and the CJP leaders have already had one round of talks on Monday. As central Delhi turned into a battlefield during the students' march to Parliament, JP Nadda became the government's interlocutor.
During the meeting, the CJP leaders put forth three demands - release of activist Sonam Wangchuk from the government-run Safdarjung Hospital, resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, and Rs 1 crore compensation to the family of each NEET aspirant who died by suicide.
However, there has been no commitment from the government on their demands. Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for the past 25 days, was shifted to a hospital of his choice following orders from the Delhi High Court.
Since July 20, the CJP protest has only gathered steam. What is worrisome for the government is that the protests, largely organic, have now spilt to other metros like Mumbai and Kolkata. It remains to be seen how the Modi government tackles one of the largest protests against it in the past few years.
In a big outreach to the protesting students, the government on Thursday again invited them for talks at their "convenience" and at "any time" as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called for nationwide protests tomorrow against "police brutality" during the July 20 agitation. Union Minister Jitendra Singh underlined that the government had sent four proposals to "our youth friends" for discussions in the last 24 hours.
In his appeal, Singh, who is also the MoS in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), said the talks could be held either at Union Health Minister JP Nadda's residence or office. However, the CJP made it clear that it would hold talks with the government only at a neutral venue or at Jantar Mantar.
'SENT 4 PROPOSALS FOR TALKS IN 24 HOURS'
Singh and Nadda have been pressed into action to reach out to the students by the government as it faces one of the largest protests in the past few years.
"The government has sent four proposals for discussions with their (CJP) representatives since last afternoon... This is a standing invitation to all our youth friends that the government is ready for discussions on all issues at your convenience, at any time," Singh said in a video message.
The Union Minister stressed that the talks could be held with an "open mind", underscoring that the government was not making it an issue of prestige or ego.
"We are ready to discuss the issue on which the agitation has happened, and all the other related issues as well," Singh said.
"Slowly, by way of discussion, we will progress towards a solution. This is a part of the series of continuous steps taken by the government for the welfare of the students," he further said.
This was the second such outreach by the government on Thursday. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first public remarks amid the protests, announced that the government would set up fast-track courts to ensure strict punishment for those involved in paper leaks.
"Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth," PM Modi tweeted, as demands for the sacking of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan intensified.
COCKROACH PARTY RESPONDS
However, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka was quick to turn down the proposal. In a post on X, Ranka asserted that the meeting be held at Jantar Mantar or at a neutral venue.
"There will be no meeting at JP Nadda's residence," Ranka said.
"And this time, we don't want empty gestures or mere optics. If you are meeting us, you can't waste our time. You will have to accept some of our demands or clearly tell us how many days it will take to fulfil them," he further said.
Ranka said the CJP had made its stance clear on Wednesday as well, but the proposal was turned down. For now, it seems the location of the talks has become a major bone of contention.
The government and the CJP leaders have already had one round of talks on Monday. As central Delhi turned into a battlefield during the students' march to Parliament, JP Nadda became the government's interlocutor.
During the meeting, the CJP leaders put forth three demands - release of activist Sonam Wangchuk from the government-run Safdarjung Hospital, resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, and Rs 1 crore compensation to the family of each NEET aspirant who died by suicide.
However, there has been no commitment from the government on their demands. Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for the past 25 days, was shifted to a hospital of his choice following orders from the Delhi High Court.
Since July 20, the CJP protest has only gathered steam. What is worrisome for the government is that the protests, largely organic, have now spilt to other metros like Mumbai and Kolkata. It remains to be seen how the Modi government tackles one of the largest protests against it in the past few years.
In a big outreach to the protesting students, the government on Thursday again invited them for talks at their "convenience" and at "any time" as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called for nationwide protests tomorrow against "police brutality" during the July 20 agitation. Union Minister Jitendra Singh underlined that the government had sent four proposals to "our youth friends" for discussions in the last 24 hours.
In his appeal, Singh, who is also the MoS in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), said the talks could be held either at Union Health Minister JP Nadda's residence or office. However, the CJP made it clear that it would hold talks with the government only at a neutral venue or at Jantar Mantar.
'SENT 4 PROPOSALS FOR TALKS IN 24 HOURS'
Singh and Nadda have been pressed into action to reach out to the students by the government as it faces one of the largest protests in the past few years.
"The government has sent four proposals for discussions with their (CJP) representatives since last afternoon... This is a standing invitation to all our youth friends that the government is ready for discussions on all issues at your convenience, at any time," Singh said in a video message.
The Union Minister stressed that the talks could be held with an "open mind", underscoring that the government was not making it an issue of prestige or ego.
"We are ready to discuss the issue on which the agitation has happened, and all the other related issues as well," Singh said.
"Slowly, by way of discussion, we will progress towards a solution. This is a part of the series of continuous steps taken by the government for the welfare of the students," he further said.
This was the second such outreach by the government on Thursday. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first public remarks amid the protests, announced that the government would set up fast-track courts to ensure strict punishment for those involved in paper leaks.
"Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth," PM Modi tweeted, as demands for the sacking of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan intensified.
COCKROACH PARTY RESPONDS
However, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka was quick to turn down the proposal. In a post on X, Ranka asserted that the meeting be held at Jantar Mantar or at a neutral venue.
"There will be no meeting at JP Nadda's residence," Ranka said.
"And this time, we don't want empty gestures or mere optics. If you are meeting us, you can't waste our time. You will have to accept some of our demands or clearly tell us how many days it will take to fulfil them," he further said.
Ranka said the CJP had made its stance clear on Wednesday as well, but the proposal was turned down. For now, it seems the location of the talks has become a major bone of contention.
The government and the CJP leaders have already had one round of talks on Monday. As central Delhi turned into a battlefield during the students' march to Parliament, JP Nadda became the government's interlocutor.
During the meeting, the CJP leaders put forth three demands - release of activist Sonam Wangchuk from the government-run Safdarjung Hospital, resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, and Rs 1 crore compensation to the family of each NEET aspirant who died by suicide.
However, there has been no commitment from the government on their demands. Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for the past 25 days, was shifted to a hospital of his choice following orders from the Delhi High Court.
Since July 20, the CJP protest has only gathered steam. What is worrisome for the government is that the protests, largely organic, have now spilt to other metros like Mumbai and Kolkata. It remains to be seen how the Modi government tackles one of the largest protests against it in the past few years.
