The protests at Jantar Mantar by the NEET students have been going on for almost a month and a half now.
The movement, though, picked up speed on June 28, 2026, when Sonam Wangchuk came on board and went on a hunger strike in support of the demands made by the Cockroach Janta Party, which included the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and monetary compensation for the students, among others.
It has been close to a month since then. The protest exploded as the hunger strike showed no signs of ending, and it hit a tipping point when the Delhi Police forcefully took Wangchuk to a hospital, citing medical concerns.
Since then, students and parents, young and old, men and women, Delhiites and even many from other states have gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to protest against the ruling government.
At this point, the protest is not simply about the NEET paper leak and what happened there; it is a movement to hold the politicians of this country accountable for their actions. Hundreds of people have gathered at the protest site by now, and many more seem to be joining.
However, while some are showing up at the protest physically, even at the risk of being beaten, tear-gassed, detained or arrested by the police, others are either unable to or, simply put, scared to put themselves in that situation.
Why Are People Scared Of Going To The Protest?
See, there is a difference between people who do not believe in the cause, claiming that it is just students being stubborn, that the government did no wrong and that the protest is not really needed, and those who genuinely do want to support the cause but cannot be physically present.
Some, especially the elderly, those with disabilities, or those who are not in Delhi themselves, genuinely cannot be at the protest site. That is, of course, understandable.
Then some are simply scared to go. Sure, you can feel that their fears are silly and do not hold up against the greater cause, and that is not entirely wrong in itself.
But at the same time, these fears do have some validity. One of them is the Delhi Police wearing Meta smart glasses that can record people using AI. This level of surveillance is a point of fear for some, who don’t want their faces to end up in a database that could then be used to track and target them much more easily than before.
Then there is the fear of harassment, especially among women. Social media videos have shown men using the protest as a way to sneakily sexually harass and assault women, with even some of the police officers meant to be controlling the crowd engaging in such heinous acts.
There are also mental health reasons, such as claustrophobia or panic attacks, as well as the fear of one’s family being targeted by the authorities if they are found at a protest. These go beyond gender; both men and women can have these fears. For some, even the thought of being seen as too ‘political’ is enough to invoke anxiety and fear.
Again, many of these fears are completely valid and entirely understandable. But for those with common sense and some semblance of national responsibility, there also comes the guilt: the guilt of being so hung up on your fears that you cannot stand up at a time of national crisis.
But here’s the good news: you don’t have to be at Jantar Mantar to actually help. These are some very real and practical ways you can help instead:
How Can You Still Support The Cause?
Order Them A Proper Meal
News has already been coming out about how people across the nation were using Zomato and Swiggy to send food to the protesters. However, it seems that this avenue has now been closed as well, with social media posts claiming that both platforms are no longer delivering to those areas.
In light of that, you can use other platforms, such as Uber, vFast and Porter, that can still deliver meals to the protest site. You can send food, water, and tea. The food should also be easy to handle and not make too much of a mess.
That said, this might be the least urgent thing to do for now, since the CJP’s own account had to publicly ask people to stop sending food because the volume had become unmanageable.
Send The Unglamorous Essentials, Not Just Food
The CJP has reportedly said that they are in need of essentials like garbage bags, sanitisers, PeeSafe or similar hygiene sprays, sanitary pads, and brooms. This is also because the police have barricaded the area, leaving protesters unable to step out of the site to get the supplies themselves.
Delhi’s monsoon showers also mean umbrellas, raincoats, plastic tarps, tents and more are genuinely useful and needed. Even protective gear like helmets, masks, and swimming goggles can be sent.
Design And Send Posters
If you can’t be there to hold a sign, you can still make one. Well-designed, shareable posters, whether printed and couriered to the site or simply posted online for others to print locally, extend the protest’s visual language beyond what a few hundred hand-painted placards can do alone. This costs you nothing but time and a bit of Canva.
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Start (Or Contribute To) A Legal And Medical Fund
Right now, the biggest need the protesters have is legal and medical attention. With hundreds of them being caught, detained and even arrested by the police, and many getting injured as the authorities try to subdue the movement, such aid is very much needed. The problem is that both can be quite heavy on one’s pocket, especially legal aid.
In such a scenario, those who can’t attend the protest themselves can either donate to or start a legal and medical aid fund for the protesters. A good way to begin is to find existing ones through social media or on platforms like GoFundMe, Ketto or Milaap.
Make sure you verify the authenticity of these fundraising pages and that they are transparent about where the donations are going. One can even start such a page themselves, collecting funds that could then be used to file bail applications, arrange legal counsel, or pay hospital bills for those who need them. Lawyers can also offer pro bono representation.
Several such law students and young advocates are already sharing important tips on social media on what to do and say if one is detained or arrested by the police.
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Drop Off Medical Supplies At A Donation Point
Basic first-aid material, ORS packets, antiseptic, bandages, and eye wash for tear gas exposure can usually be dropped at various collection points around the protest site.
There are also a lot of NGOs and individuals collecting donations from people and then delivering them to the protest site. One can look them up on social media and verify their authenticity and transparency before making a donation.
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Talk To The People Around You, Inform And Educate
Another thing you can do is talk to the people around you. If you are afraid of leaving a digital footprint, this is a safe way to avoid it. Start conversations within your own family, bring it up with the aunties and uncles in your locality, and open up discussions with colleagues, friends and relatives, especially if they are mocking the protest or even sharing fake news.
Do it respectfully, do it in a fun manner; use memes, use jokes, use analogies that the other person will understand. Just don’t stay quiet.
Boycott The People Staying Silent
A lot of people are already doing this: instantly unfollowing any public personality, brand, organisation or group that enjoys public support, that operates only because the public consumes their product in some way or form, and yet has remained silent up until now.
You can unfollow any celebrity, athlete, brand, corporation, godman, self-help guru or motivational speaker with millions of followers who has had absolutely nothing to say about students losing years of their lives, and who has not spoken up against the authorities using unnecessary force on people who were, until just a few weeks ago, holding a relatively peaceful protest.
You can even post the ‘unfollowing’ on your social media and share the reason why.
Sign The Petitions, Even Quietly
Online petitions calling for accountability, for the release of detained students, or for a transparent investigation into the exam leak let you add your name to the pressure without standing out in a crowd. It might not feel like much, but the numbers are what matter here.
Share Important Social Media Posts
You can also keep sharing, and thus amplifying, important social media posts. These can include live updates being posted by those at the protest, so other people can see the reality of the situation. Other things that can be shared are posts about help, legal advice and updates from the protest site, especially those about which areas to avoid or where the authorities are being especially strict.
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Support Independent Media
Another way you can support the protests is by raising awareness about independent media organisations. It is these independent media outlets that have been covering the movement on the ground and showing the reality of it.
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It is also important to clear up the myths being spread not just about the protest, but about the protesters themselves. Terms like ‘tukde-tukde gang’, ‘terrorists’ and ‘anti-national’ have been thrown around by many who are trying to dismiss this movement as nothing but chaotic elements trying to divide the country.
From politicians to news reporters to regular people who buy into what the top brass is saying, all seem to be repeating such terms.
However, there is no one particular kind of politics within the movement. No one needs to support the CJP, Congress or AAP to support the protest itself. And supporting the protest does not mean one is a supporter of any of these groups either.
While there are surely some anti-social elements infiltrating the protest, which was really inevitable, that does not take away from the larger cause the movement is driving towards: safe exams, holding officials accountable, and care for the students who have lost years of their lives in all this mess.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Reuters, The Print, Mint
Find the blogger: @chirali_08
This post is tagged under: Indian Gen-Z, Indian Gen-Z protesters, Gen-Z protesters, cjp, CJP protest, cjp protest delhi, cjp protest jantar mantar, cjp protest news, Dharmendra Pradhan resignation, education accountability, Jantar Mantar protests, NEET paper leak, sonam wangchuk, Sonam Wangchuk CJP, Sonam Wangchuk hunger strike, NEET, NEET student, NEET student protest, delhi protests
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