Bhubaneswar: Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan Thursday alleged that attempts were being made to create anarchy in the country with the support of foreign forces and appealed to students not to be misled by the ‘Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’ movement.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters here, Harichandan alleged that the movement was aimed at disrupting peace and stability in the country.
“There are attempts to create anarchy across the country with the support of foreign forces to stop India’s growth globally. The people behind the movement are using students as scapegoats to achieve their narrow goals,” he said.
The minister alleged that those behind the movement were trying to create unrest under the pretext of student welfare and claimed they had received support from “radical groups” in Bangladesh and Khalistani leaders in Canada.
“If there is no external backing, then why did such groups located on foreign soil support CJP? The ongoing agitation has nothing to do with the students and the NEET-UG examination. It is totally politically motivated and intended to damage India’s prosperity,” he alleged.
Launching an attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Congress and Left parties, Harichandan alleged that CJP chief Abhijeet Dipke was a member of the AAP and claimed the movement was being driven by forces pursuing a larger political agenda.
He also accused the parties of creating unrest with the support of what he described as ‘Tukde-Tukde’ groups.
Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Harichandan alleged that he was using students as a “shield” for political gains.
“The students are being misled by fake narratives, and Gandhi is doing such work with political intentions,” he alleged.
Claiming that question paper leaks were not new in India, the minister alleged that such incidents had occurred at least 69 times during Congress rule at the Centre and in states governed by the party.
“What action has the Congress taken to prevent such a menace?” he asked.
Harichandan said the Centre had ordered a re-examination in view of the students’ concerns and the results had already been published.
He said there was no need for further agitation as the government had taken action against those allegedly involved in the paper leak.
The minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for a fast-track trial in the case and assured that those responsible would not be spared.
Targeting the opposition BJD, which has demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the issue, Harichandan alleged that several question paper leaks had also taken place during the previous BJD government’s tenure.
He claimed that the BJP government in Odisha had provided 50,000 government jobs and generated employment in industries over the past two years.
Meanwhile, the youth and student wings of the BJD staged a protest in Sambalpur, Pradhan’s Lok Sabha constituency, demanding his resignation over the alleged NEET paper leak and condemning the police action against protesting students in Delhi.
“The Biju Janata Dal strongly condemns this. Demanding the resignation of Pradhan, the Biju Yuva Janata Dal and Chhatra Janata Dal have organised a vigorous protest and demonstration in Sambalpur,” the BJD said in a social media post.
