A Punjab-born PhD scholar is among the student leaders spearheading the ongoing agitation in Delhi over the alleged NEET paper leak, accusing the BJP-led Centre of suppressing peaceful protests instead of addressing students’ concerns.Aameen, 28, a PhD student at Dr B R Ambedkar University, Delhi, and joint secretary of the All India Students Association (AISA) university chapter, ended his 23-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on Monday along with fellow protesters Neha and Manish.The student-led agitation, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has intensified its demand for accountability in the alleged NEET paper leak and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.The protests reached a flashpoint on July 18 when educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on an indefinite hunger strike for 21 days at Jantar Mantar, was detained by Delhi Police and taken to hospital.Hours after Aameen and the two others ended their fast, Delhi Police allegedly used tear gas shells and lathi-charged protesters marching from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament.Speaking to The Indian Express, Aameen alleged that the police action was intended to injure protesters rather than disperse them.“It is amply clear that they were trying to harm us intentionally. The way tear gas shells were being thrown at the protesters, the intention was to harm, not to control or disperse the crowds. This is not how you treat the youth of your country which is just trying to wake you up to the reality,” he said.Story continues below this adAameen is the son of Prof Surjit Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala, and Dr Jagdish Kaur, who teaches at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana.Describing the police action as “lethal”, Aameen claimed that tear gas shells were fired directly at students in violation of protocol.“The police reaction to our peaceful protest was lethal. It was evident from the brutality they displayed that they were not even trying to dissuade or control the crowd. They were hellbent on harming us. AISA is receiving testimonies and reports from hospitals where injured students are undergoing treatment and they are gut-wrenching. Some protesters were pushed against walls and beaten black and blue. Many times, tear gas shells were fired directly at students even though protocol clearly says they are meant to disperse crowds, not injure people,” he alleged.He further claimed that tear gas shells were fired even while protesters were peacefully sitting at Jantar Mantar.Story continues below this ad“Police was intentionally trying to create a stampede-like situation where there was none and whenever they found students isolated, they were beaten black and blue. We are documenting details of injured protesters and at least 300 were treated at RML Hospital alone,” he said.Aameen also criticised the BJP leadership, alleging that it had chosen to vilify students instead of engaging with them.“They are calling us cockroaches, viruses. Instead of listening to us, they are vilifying students. It is the students who have suffered, not them. BJP leadership, including Nitin Nabin and others, are openly mocking students and saying BJP workers will teach us a lesson. Instead of admitting there was a blunder in the paper leak and discussing it seriously, they are suppressing our voices,” he said.Referring to reports of student suicides linked to the controversy, he added: “Many families have already lost their children to suicide due to the paper leak and still this government is not waking up.”Story continues below this adOn June 29, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, while addressing party workers in Telangana, had criticised the protests, describing the organising groups as “virus and cockroach-like outfits” belonging to the “tukde-tukde gang” and urged BJP workers to “teach them a lesson”. His remarks were directed at the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by Abhijeet Dipke, which has been leading the indefinite protest at Jantar Mantar over the alleged NEET paper leak.Aameen said his upbringing in Punjab shaped his activism.“I did my schooling in Ludhiana and my father worked in Patiala, so Punjab has always been part of my identity. The Kisan Morchas have always inspired me. Though I am not a medical student, participating in this agitation was inevitable. When Wangchuk sir can do it, why can’t we? So we also decided to sit on hunger strike with him,” he said.Claiming that the alleged NEET paper leak reflected a larger systemic problem, Aameen said, “Since 2014, there have been multiple paper leaks. NEET is just one part of a bigger problem which the government is refusing to acknowledge or address. Students feel that the top BJP leadership is patronising the accused. If the government is not acting, protests are the only way to raise our voice. The sad part is that even now, instead of admitting its failures, the government is blaming and vilifying students.”