Delhi CM Kejriwal heads to Jantar Mantar today to meet hunger-striking Wangchuk
Kejriwal to meet hunger-striking Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar as security tightens amid NEET protest row.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will visit Jantar Mantar on Thursday to meet activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for 18 days. Police sources said security has been increased at and around Jantar Mantar ahead of his visit. They said that as a precautionary measure, additional police forces and paramilitary personnel have been deployed at the protest site and surrounding areas.
The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) national convener has extended his support to the protest being held at Jantar Mantar by the "Cockroach Janta Party" (CoJaP) against alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and other examinations. Wangchuk later joined the movement and has since been on an indefinite hunger strike.
Kejriwal has said that AAP supports CoJaP's protest and its demand for the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He said he would meet Wangchuk on Thursday evening.
Police officials said the additional deployment is part of routine security arrangements to maintain law and order at Jantar Mantar; Jantar Mantar is a designated protest site where demonstrations frequently take place. A police source said the deployment is a normal procedure, and that security is regularly reviewed and strengthened based on assessments of crowd size and law-and-order conditions.