5 min readJul 24, 2026 07:07 PM IST First published on: Jul 24, 2026 at 07:06 PM ISTIn non-democratic systems, people resort to clandestine protests in the form of sabotage or violence to express their dissent. But dissent in a democracy must be disciplined. Because, unlike other systems, democracy recognises dissent as a constitutional right. Article 19 (1) (a) of the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression, which also includes the right to peacefully disagree and critique the government. It is this fundamental right that the agitating students in Delhi are entitled to enjoy. However, they must also keep in mind that this right comes with reasonable restrictions in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, public order, decency and morality, etc. They are expected to uphold the discipline of democratic dissent.The core issue raised by the agitating students concerns the conduct of examinations by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The NEET-UG paper leak that led to the cancellation of the exam a couple of months ago, causing enormous agony to a large number of students, was a genuine issue. There were widespread protests over the leak, and the government promptly acted and handed over the case to the CBI. Thirteen accused have been arrested and legal proceedings are ongoing against them. Subsequently, the exam was reconducted without any glitch, and over 20 lakh candidates participated. The results were declared on schedule, with over 11 lakh students qualifying. Ideally, the matter should have ended with that. But it didn’t. It is understandable if the agitators demanded reform and overhaul in the conduct of the competitive examinations. But their demand is limited to the removal of the education minister. Accountability is an important argument, but it should be about reforming the system and punishing those involved in malpractices. Both have been effectively addressed by the government.AdvertisementAlso Read | https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/jantar-mantar-protest-demands-neet-cjp-wangchuk-police-crackdown-10800265/Over the course of a month of the agitation, the assembly at the designated protest site near Jantar Mantar has acquired critical mass and momentum with the joining of several other sections of people. When a movement acquires that momentum, vested interests, professional “andolan jeevis” and political parties also jump in. We are witnessing that now. Several objectionable slogans began to be raised at the venue. Violence and attacks on security personnel, too, were reported.The plunge taken by the opposition parties, led by Congress, cannot per se be objected to, but their refusal to use the constitutional platform of Parliament to discuss the matter points to an anarchist streak. This was evident when a group of MPs led by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi indulged in a sudden sit-in protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence, knowing well that it was against the rules and public order. On the one hand, Rahul Gandhi demanded accountability for paper leaks from the government, but on the other, he himself publicly refused to be accountable to the law, claiming it to be his “prerogative”. The government expressed its willingness to debate the issue in Parliament. But the Opposition is running away from it because it knows the consequences of such a debate. Paper leaks are not happening for the first time in the country. Not a single year passed during the UPA regime without accusations of that nature confronting the government. Yet, not a single minister ever resigned, nor was anyone held accountable and punished. This exposes the Opposition’s duplicity and their reticence to debate the matter in Parliament.The government is sympathetic to the legitimate concerns of the agitating students. It was the Modi government that enacted the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024, the first ever law to tackle paper leaks and other unfair means, prescribing strict punishments including fines up to Rs 1 crore. Respecting the sentiments of the students, the Prime Minister announced fast-track courts and stringent punishments to tackle these cases.AdvertisementThe government is also sincere in engaging with the leaders of the agitation to address their concerns. Two central ministers were deployed to speak with them. The ball clearly is in the court of those young leaders. It is good that Sonam Wangchuk, the social activist supporting the agitation, decided to end his fast. He understood that with the entry of various interests into the movement, there is the danger of it losing its way. Wangchuk and the agitating students succeeded in making their views heard across the country. It is time now to work towards a resolution through active engagement with the government. The movement for a genuine cause should not be allowed to turn into the “grammar of anarchy”, to quote B R Ambedkar, when a sincere government and secure constitutional methods are available.The writer, president, India Foundation, is with the BJP