It is a humid day in Delhi, with the forecast predicting light showers. But given the political heat that lies ahead, it is unlikely anyone will be bothered about the weather at Jantar Mantar or along the route to Parliament. For now, neither side appears ready to back down — neither the satirical platform Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) nor the government — much like the US-Iran conflict, where hopes of peace have repeatedly been overshadowed despite talks.
Protesters have already assembled at Jantar Mantar and look determined to resume their march towards Parliament. They seem to have the resolve of Spain chasing victory, while the heavy deployment of security personnel is aimed at ensuring there are no breaches in the capital's defences.
VIDEO | Parliament Monsoon Session: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says, "On the NEET examination, the Prime Minister said that the government acted immediately after reports of the paper leak surfaced, and 13 people were arrested and sent to jail. At the same… pic.twitter.com/urQ0JsJ5mb
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 21, 2026
Monday's clashes left more than 100 police personnel and over 60 protesters injured after police used lathicharge and tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. What Tuesday brings remains uncertain. It all depends on whether restraint prevails or if another round of violence erupts, with batons swinging and stones flying.
The protests stem from the NEET-UG paper leak controversy that shook the credibility of one of India's most important entrance examinations.
On Monday, a CJP delegation met Union Minister J.P. Nadda and presented three key demands: the unconditional release of Sonam Wangchuk, with no restrictions on his movement; the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan; and Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide following the paper leak.
Although discussions took place, the protest movement is yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
On Tuesday morning, Dharmendra Pradhan offered prayers to his Guru in a post on X, writing: "The foundation of meditation is the Guru's image, the foundation of worship is the Guru's feet, the foundation of mantra is the Guru's words, and the foundation of liberation is the Guru's grace." As the political storm intensifies, the minister will likely need every blessing as his political journey enters an increasingly turbulent phase.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the NEET-UG paper leak as a "grave sin" during the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting and said the government was committed to ensuring strict punishment for all those responsible. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Prime Minister assured NDA MPs that the Centre would leave no stone unturned in bringing the accused to justice and protecting the sanctity of examinations.
Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior NDA leaders attended the alliance's 'Mangal Milan' meeting at the Parliament Annexe on Tuesday ahead of the second day of the Monsoon Session.
Parliament is also set to witness heated exchanges as the Centre pushes a packed legislative agenda while the Opposition seeks discussions on alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and other contentious national issues.
The Centre has listed five key Bills for the Monsoon Session:
- Income-Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026 – Seeks to replace an ordinance and strengthen India's sovereign debt market.
- Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 – Proposes increasing the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges by replacing an ordinance.
- Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 – Seeks to make the intentional insult of, or disruption during, the singing of Vande Mataram a punishable offence.
- Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026 – Aims to improve ease of doing business and strengthen mechanisms to address delayed payments to MSMEs.
- Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 – Proposes stricter norms for delayed registration and modernises the civil registration system.
With protests continuing outside Parliament and an aggressive legislative agenda inside, Tuesday is shaping up to be another politically charged day in the national capital.
