Ludhiana: With students camping in Delhi to protest against the NEET-UG paper leak and pressing the demand for accountability, a group of around 18 youths from Ludhiana travelled to the capital to provide medical assistance and humanitarian support to the protesters.The volunteers have set up a medical camp near the protest site and are also helping arrange ambulance services for students requiring urgent medical attention. Several volunteers from Delhi have joined the relief effort.Talking to TOI from Delhi, Gauravdeep Singh, who is leading the group, said the team decided to extend support after learning about the students who had suffered injuries in the wake of police action during the protests.“We came here to support the students in whatever way we could. Many students have suffered injuries during the agitation. Besides, due to the limited space at the protest site, stampede-like situations have also emerged on a couple of occasions since we arrived,” he said.According to Gauravdeep, the hot and humid weather has worsened the hardships faced by the protesters, many of whom have been camping at the site for long hours.“Several students are suffering from dehydration, stomach infections, indigestion and other health issues. Weather conditions and overcrowding have added to their difficulties. Our medical volunteers and healthcare professionals are providing first aid, medicines and basic medical assistance to those who need help,” he said.Gauravdeep said the situation was more challenging than what he had witnessed during the farmers’ protest in Delhi, where he had also organised a medical camp around four years ago.“During the Kisan Andolan, the protest was held along a highway where there was ample open space. There was also a leadership structure that helped coordinate activities. Here at Jantar Mantar, space is limited and students are spread across nearby streets and narrow lanes. Movement is difficult and the combination of overcrowding, heat and humidity has made conditions quite challenging,” he said.He added that the organisation would continue operating the medical camp for as long as the students’ protest continues.Demonstrations in LudhianaMeanwhile, demonstrations in support of the agitation in Delhi have also been held in Ludhiana over the past few days. Students and youth organisations staged protests in Sarabha Nagar and Punjab Agricultural University, expressing solidarity with the students gathering in the national capital.The protesters demanded accountability over the alleged examination irregularities and called for action against those responsible.Demonstrators also sought the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and other officials, alleging mishandling of issues related to the examination controversy.The Ludhiana volunteers said their effort was purely humanitarian and aimed at ensuring that students participating in the protest receive timely medical care and emergency assistance whenever required.
