MUMBAI: A young woman who stood her ground in front of a Mumbai Police vehicle during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest has emerged as one of the defining faces of the agitation.The video of Rhiya Ahir, 27, confronting police officers has gone viral across social media.In the viral clip, Ahir is seen standing before a police vehicle, raising slogans and questioning the police response to the student-led protests over the alleged NEET paper leak, news agency PTI reported. “I understand that they are doing their job, but they are not doing it responsibly. If they don’t behave responsibly, we must take responsibility for our citizens. What they did with students in Delhi was wrong, and they have to own up,” she says in the video.She further demanded that Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan either resign or directly engage with the protesters.“We cannot go to Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan should resign. If not, then he should go to Jantar Mantar and talk to students,” Ahir says in the viral clip.The video has surfaced amid expanding demonstrations by the Cockroach Janta Party across several cities following the police action during the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march in Delhi.According to Mumbai Police, 13 cases have been registered between July 18 and July 22 in connection with the ongoing protests, PTI reported.Police said around 400 people have been booked on charges of unlawful assembly and violating prohibitory orders imposed in parts of the city.The protests, led by activist Sonam Wangchuk and the CJP, seek the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak controversy and have triggered demonstrations in multiple states.The Mumbai protests come days after clashes in Delhi during the CJP’s march to Parliament, where police and protesters accused each other of violence, with both sides reporting injuries.The agitation has since evolved into a nationwide campaign, drawing support from students, civil society groups and Opposition leaders, while the Centre has maintained that it is prepared to discuss the alleged paper leak issue in Parliament.(With agency inputs)
