New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): A 23-day indefinite hunger strike led by three members of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) at Jantar Mantar came to an end on Monday after a delegation of Opposition leaders and prominent public figures urged the students to conclude their fast, assuring them that their demands would be taken up in Parliament.
The protest, led by student leaders Neha, Manish and Aameen, sought greater accountability in the education system, with a focus on the National Testing Agency (NTA), the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the role of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The students ended their fast amid heavy rain at the protest site after discussions with a delegation comprising Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, MPs Rajaram Singh and Amra Ram, social activist Yogendra Yadav, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, academic Atul Sood, and actors Prakash Raj and Shabana Azmi.
While appealing to the protesters, Yogendra Yadav described the decision as a transition rather than a retreat, stating that ending the fast marked the completion of one phase of the campaign instead of the movement itself.
Echoing support for the students, Manoj Jha said the protest had succeeded in drawing national attention to concerns surrounding the education sector. Rajaram Singh assured the gathering that the Opposition would continue raising the issue inside Parliament, calling the students’ campaign an example of democratic resistance.
Addressing those present, actor Shabana Azmi praised the determination shown by the young protesters and said their efforts had inspired many to speak up for educational reforms.
Although the indefinite hunger strike has been withdrawn, AISA announced that its campaign will continue through a month-long nationwide programme. The organisation said it intends to intensify protests demanding greater transparency and accountability in the education system while continuing to oppose the NTA, the implementation of the NEP 2020 and the policies of the Union Education Ministry.
According to AISA, the prolonged fast took a serious toll on the health of the three student leaders. The organisation claimed they each lost more than 12 per cent of their body weight and suffered dangerously low blood sugar levels, along with other complications associated with extended fasting.
The organisation maintained that ending the hunger strike does not signal the end of its agitation, but rather the beginning of a broader campaign to press for changes in the country’s education policies.
