Students' protest: Fallout reaches Sirsa, BJP leader’s signboard defaced

The political heat over the ongoing NEET protest reached Sirsa on Friday after unidentified persons defaced a signboard outside the residence of Haryana Labour Welfare Board Chairman and BJP leader Rohtash Jangra, writing “Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)” and blackening the BJP’s lotus symbol.

The incident came to light on Friday morning when locals noticed the vandalised board outside Jangra’s house in Sant Nagar on Hisar Road. Posters linked to the ongoing Jantar Mantar student protest in Delhi were also pasted on the colony gate, the residence board and nearby banners. The police visited the spot and launched an investigation.

Jangra said the act appeared to have been carried out during the night. “The board was fine earlier. We came to know about it only this morning. We have informed the police, and efforts are on to identify those responsible,” he said.

Anju Jangra, a municipal councillor and daughter-in-law of the BJP leader, alleged that the act was politically motivated. She said her father-in-law spotted the defaced board while leaving for Sohna early in the morning. The police have asked the family to help identify nearby CCTV cameras for the investigation.

Meanwhile, on Friday, farmers, student groups, retired employees’ organisations and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) staged protests in Sirsa against the alleged police lathicharge on students demonstrating at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leak issue.

The protesters marched to the Mini-Secretariat, raised slogans against the Centre and submitted a memorandum demanding action over the alleged police excesses. The student participants said they were fighting to protect the future of millions of aspirants and demanded accountability over repeated examination paper leaks.

Several speakers, including leaders of employee unions and farmers’ organisations, condemned the alleged use of force on protesting students and sought the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The police deployed barricades outside the Mini-Secretariat during the protest to maintain law and order.