Peerzada Masarat Shah:
There is an old song from the film *Pyaasa*. It asks a sad question: “Jinhe naaz hai Hind par, woh kahan hain?” It means, “Those who are proud of India, where are they?” This week, the students at Jantar Mantar gave the answer. They are here. They are tired and hurt, but they did not give up. And now, after many days of protest, the government has agreed to talk. There are promises of exam reforms, fast track courts for paper leak cases, talks about compensation for affected families, and a promise to treat peaceful protesters with care. The students did not get this as a gift. They earned it.
The Pain Behind the Protest
To understand the anger at Jantar Mantar, we must first understand the pain. Again and again, papers of big exams like NEET were leaked. Exams were cancelled. For students, this was not a small problem. It took away years of hard work in one night. Parents sold their land. Mothers saved every rupee. Children gave up their play and their sleep to study. And then, one leak took it all away. Some bright young students lost all hope and ended their lives. These were not just news stories. These were broken homes and broken dreams.
So the students came to Jantar Mantar to ask for justice. They sat peacefully. Sonam Wangchuk, a well known activist, went on a hunger strike for many days to support them. But on 20 July, when the students marched towards Parliament, the police used sticks and tear gas to stop them. News reports and eyewitnesses said many students were hurt on the head and body. One video, checked by fact checkers, showed a police stick with nails fixed on it at the protest site. Officials said the video was false, but the fact checkers proved it was real. A nineteen year old student may lose the sight of one eye. Many students ran to Gurdwara Bangla Sahib for safety.
The Videos That Hurt Every Heart
Then came the videos that shook the whole country. In one video, a senior police officer, Additional DCP Sandeep Lamba, was seen slapping a young woman protester. People were very angry. Within a day, he was removed from duty at the protest site, and a complaint was filed against him. In another video shared widely on social media, protesters named an officer, SHO Naveen Rathi, and said he used his stick against a young woman in a very shameful way. This claim has not yet been proven by news reporters. But it is serious, and it must be checked by a fair and independent inquiry.
Whatever the inquiries find, the bigger truth was clear to all. Young women were dragged and beaten. Students sleeping on the cold road were woken up with force. Children of poor families, the first in their homes to study so far, were treated like enemies. One protester said in a video, with tears in her eyes, “We had to shout and push back, because staying silent meant accepting that our lives were stolen.” Her words touched millions of hearts.
Pain Became Strength
The police action did not scare the students. It brought them closer. They sang songs. They held hands. They came back the next morning. At the protest site, there were no clean toilets, no power at night, and very little water. Still, they stayed. Doctors, teachers, and common people came from far away places like Gujarat and Noida to stand with them.
Soon, the pressure grew too big to ignore. The Delhi High Court asked the government to reply to the reports of police force. Leaders from many parties spoke up. Shashi Tharoor asked why sticks were used on a peaceful protest. Rahul Gandhi said such action is not right in a democracy. And then came the biggest sign of all. The Prime Minister himself announced fast track courts to punish those behind the paper leaks. The people in power had to listen.
A Victory Mixed with Pain
Let us be honest. This victory came at a heavy price. Why should students bleed before the system improves? Why did it take viral videos and injured children for the leaders to act? These questions must not be forgotten. The claims against the officers must be checked fairly. No innocent protester should face a false case. And no officer who did wrong should be protected. Truth builds trust.
The promises made now, fast justice, compensation, and better exam systems, must be kept. Our students have learned the hard way that promises and actions are two different things.
## The Pride Belongs to Them
Today, there is also a reason to smile. Fathers are hugging their daughters a little tighter. Teachers are proud of their students. The whole country saw its children being beaten, and also saw them stand tall again. Something changed in every heart. This young generation showed that the youth of India are not a burden. They are its biggest strength and its true conscience.
To every Indian who feels proud of this nation, stand with these students. Ask for full inquiries and real reforms, so that no child’s future is ever stolen again.
To the protesters, your tears were not wasted. They watered the seeds of change. Hold your heads high. The old song no longer asks where the proud children of India are. They are here, at Jantar Mantar, with tears on their faces and courage in their hearts.
The government has listened. The youth have spoken. The future is watching.
Jai Hind. Let the healing begin.
