The protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) in New Delhi on Monday seemed to be one of the biggest challenges to the Narendra Modi government since the farmers’ agitation forced the repeal of the three contentious farm laws in 2021.
Even as the government largely ignored the ongoing protest against Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at Jantar Mantar, today it deputed senior minister J. P. Nadda to meet student representatives, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das. Announcing the meeting on X while Delhi Police struggled to prevent protesters from marching towards Parliament, Das posted after 4 PM that he and Ranka had been at Nadda’s residence since noon.
“The demands have been conveyed, including the immediate resignation or sacking of Dharmendra Pradhan. The Minister assured us he will discuss the matter at the appropriate level. However, no commitments have been made so far. The peaceful protesters will not rest until the demand is met,” Das posted. Observers said the meeting, if arranged earlier, may have averted the situation that unfolded today.
According to Nadda, however, this morning, for the first time, the protesters proposed holding discussions with the government
“Our talks have been ongoing since 11:50 am.
“The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere. There was a detailed initial verbal discussion with their delegation, and they submitted a written petition to me at around 4:00 PM.
“I requested all the protesters to end their protest and help the administration restore normalcy,” he wrote.
Over the past 12 years, the Narendra Modi government has faced situations that forced it to withdraw, modify or delay key policy decisions. While the Centre has consistently argued that the reforms were aimed at serving the long-term national interest, sustained protests and political opposition, at times, compelled it to recalibrate its approach.
The most significant reversal was in 2021, when the Centre repealed the three farm laws after more than a year of protests by farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Enacted in 2020 to liberalise agricultural marketing and encourage private investment, the laws were fiercely opposed by farmers’ unions. The year-long sit-in at Delhi’s borders became one of the largest protest movements in independent India. Announcing the repeal, the Prime Minister said perhaps the government had failed to convince a section of farmers about the benefits of the reforms.
But the first major retreat was in 2015, when the government dropped proposed amendments to the Land Acquisition Act. Following strong resistance from Opposition parties, farmers’ organisations and civil society groups, the Centre allowed the ordinance to lapse.
The government has also softened or revised other initiatives under public and political pressure. Following protests against the Agnipath military recruitment scheme in 2022, it announced concessions, including employment reservations for Agniveers in the Central Armed Police Forces and other government organisations. In 2024, the Centre withdrew the UPSC lateral entry recruitment advertisement after criticism from Opposition parties over the absence of reservation provisions.
More recently, it also put on hold the proposed 100-metre eco-sensitive zone notification for the Aravalli range after objections from environmental groups, residents and state governments, opting for further consultations before taking a final decision.