I believe both the Government and Sonam Wangchuk are at fault in how this movement unfolded.

The students' concerns about examinations, accountability, and education reforms are genuine, and a peaceful protest is completely justified. However, the movement gradually stopped being just about education.

Instead of remaining focused on NEET, NTA, and reforms, the stage became associated with people carrying their own political and ideological baggage. Whether intentional or not, this shifted attention away from students and towards the speakers.

1. Nandita Narain-

"Bas Naam Rahega Allah Ka" was originally written by a Pakistani poet as a protest against military dictator Gen Zia ul Haq. Today it is being sung by Nandita Narain, a retired Maths professor from St. Stephen's College, who is married to Rashid Ansari. This was supposed to be a student protest, so why is this particular slogan being used?

2. Kunal Kamra's Speech

On July 15, 2026, comedian Kunal Kamra spoke at the protest in solidarity. He took a political jibe at the ruling government, saying: "Sita ke pati ka naam lekar, Nita ke pati ka kaam kar rahe hain" (using the name of Goddess Sita's husband, Lord Ram, to serve the interests of Nita's husband, industrialist Mukesh Ambani). Kamra has previously been seen mocking Hindu gods.

3. Arundhati Roy's Appearance

On July 5, 2026, Arundhati Roy visited Jantar Mantar to show solidarity with the student led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest over NEET UG paper leaks. Soon after, an old video of her went viral on Instagram and Threads, in which she was saying Kashmir has never been an integral part of India. This video was from the 2010 Azadi convention. After this, her UAPA case also came up. Ideologies don't change this easily!

4. Prashant Bhushan

Prashant Bhushan, a prominent activist lawyer, has also come under scrutiny. He was part of the legal team that moved the Supreme Court in a historic, post midnight hearing on July 29, 2015, seeking a stay on the execution of Yakub Memon, convicted for his role in the 1993 Bombay serial blasts. Critics point to this history to claim that those advising or supporting the student movement carry an "anti-state" agenda.

5. Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas

Umar Khalid's father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, a founding member and former national leader of the banned terrorist outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), took the stage at the Jantar Mantar student rally in July 2026. Instead of sticking to the NEET UG leak issue, he reportedly called for a "Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh style revolution" in India. Critics quickly shared clips online, calling him "Shaitaan ka Abbu jaan" (the devil's father) and alleging the CJP protest was becoming a safe haven for radical and jihadi ideologies.

6. Umar Khalid-related Controversies

Banojyotsna Lahiri, an activist, JNU alumnus, and Umar Khalid's long-time partner, was actively promoting a book titled "Umar Khalid and His World" around the same time the CJP protests peaked in mid-2026. Critics cross-referenced this with the Jantar Mantar movement, alleging a coordinated effort to use student anger as a front to demand Khalid's release from his UAPA case. Around the same time, social media investigators dug into CJP's newly appointed spokespeople and labeled them "Umar Khalid Fan Boys" for romanticizing jailed activists. The controversy peaked when protesters were filmed chanting "Umar Khalid hamara leader hai" (Umar Khalid is our leader), which right-wing commentators cited as proof that the platform was being used to legitimize a figure accused of orchestrating the 2020 Delhi riots.

Critics pushed a "toolkit" narrative, claiming the presence of high profile figures like Arundhati Roy and MP Mahua Moitra proved the student movement was manufactured by a seasoned anti-establishment ecosystem. The claim was that these figures and their close circles were heavily involved behind the scenes, using the emotional anger of NEET UG aspirants to subtly push their own agenda, particularly to normalize and demand the release of jailed figures like Khalid

This is where I think Sonam Wangchuk made a mistake. Whether or not he knew about every speaker, the platform should have remained strictly centred on education.

The Government also failed by delaying meaningful engagement.

A better solution would have been to hold talks outside the protest stage, with Sonam Wangchuk choosing education representatives and the Government including independent education experts. That would have kept the focus on reforms instead of political controversies.

Today, the discussion is less about fixing education and more about who shared the stage. That, in my opinion, is the biggest failure of this movement.

Today, I lost my dog, Roof.

​

He wasn't just a pet. For years, he was the first one to greet me when I came home and the last one to watch me leave. No matter how bad my day was, he always acted like seeing me was the best part of his.

​

A few months ago, Roof was diagnosed with cancer.

​

For the last few months, life got busy. Studies, work, responsibilities. I kept telling myself I'd spend more time with him when things settled down.

​

Tomorrow.

​

Next week.

​

After this exam.

​

There was always a reason to wait.

​

A few days ago, he started getting weaker. He didn't run to the door anymore. He didn't bark as much. But every time I said his name, his tail still moved.

​

Even when he barely had the strength.

​

This morning, he was gone.

​

What breaks me the most is that I never knew which walk would be our last. I never knew which head pat would be the final one. I never knew that the last time he waited by the door for me would truly be the last time.

​

I keep looking at the places where he used to sleep.

​

I keep expecting to hear his footsteps.

​

I keep reaching for a leash that no longer has a purpose.

​

He grew up with me.

​

He was there during some of the happiest and hardest years of my life.

​

He never cared about my grades, my mistakes, my failures, or my successes.

​

He was just happy that I existed.

​

And now the house feels quieter than I ever thought possible.

​

I hope he knew how much I loved him.

​

I hope he knew that every rushed goodbye, every missed walk, and every postponed moment was never because he wasn't important.

​

I just thought we had more time.

​

That's the part I can't stop thinking about.

​

I thought we had more time.

​

Goodbye, Roof.

​

Thank you for waiting for me all those years.

​

Today, I lost my dog, Roof.

He wasn't just a pet. For years, he was the first one to greet me when I came home and the last one to watch me leave. No matter how bad my day was, he always acted like seeing me was the best part of his.

A few months ago, Rooof was diagnosed with cancer

For the last few months, life got busy. Studies, work, responsibilities. I kept telling myself I'd spend more time with him when things settled down.

Tomorrow.

Next week.

After this exam

There was always a reason to wait

A few days ago, he started getting weaker. He didn't run to the door anymore. He didn't bark as much. But every time I said his name, his tail still moved

Even when he barely had the strength.

This morning, he was gone

What breaks me the most is that I never knew which walk would be our last. I never knew which head pat would be the final one. I never knew that the last time he waited by the door for me would truly be the last time.

I keep looking at the places where he used to sleep.

I keep expecting to hear his footsteps.

I keep reaching for a leash that no longer has a purpose

He grew up with me.

He was there during some of the happiest and hardest years of my life

He never cared about my grades, my mistakes, my failures, or my successes

He was just happy that I existed

And now the house feels quieter than I ever thought possible.

I hope he knew how much I loved him.

I hope he knew that every rushed goodbye, every missed walk, and every postponed moment was never because he wasn't important.

I just thought we had more time.

That's the part I can't stop thinking about

I thought we had more time.

Goodbye, Roof.

Thank you for waiting for me all those years.