Students and Activists Rally at Freedom Park Seeking Broader Education Reforms

Students, activists, academics, and artists gathered at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Sunday, July 26, 2026, for a protest titled 'Victory and Continued Protest: The Fight Will Go On'. Organized under the banner of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), demonstrators asserted that their movement for broader education reforms, democracy, and social justice would continue despite the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Although the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced the withdrawal of its demonstration after Pradhan resigned and the Union government in principle agreed to fulfill demands, turnout at Freedom Park remained consistent with previous days. Student organizations announced plans to sustain protests, particularly on weekends, to push for systemic changes beyond the initial concerns surrounding NEET.

Eminent historian Ramachandra Guha participated in the gathering, noting that the crowd's enthusiasm made his spine straighter. Guha drew parallels between the current demonstration and historic moments of resistance, including the December 2019 anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests, Bhagat Singh honoring executed revolutionaries on December 19, 1927, and Mahatma Gandhi's appeal to Muslims in Delhi on December 19, 1947.

Participants highlighted a range of regional and social concerns during the rally. A student from Tripura shared their experience of leaving home to pursue education while advocating for justice, while others raised issues affecting Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, and Kashmir to represent voices from frequently unheard regions.

Ganga, representing the Volunteers Student Association, stated that the struggle would continue until education becomes universally accessible to every child. Joshua, a college student who attended the demonstration, noted that performance art, poetry, and appearances by local artists helped raise awareness about critical issues ignored by mainstream media.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru police registered a suo motu First Information Report at the Upparpet police station against an unidentified woman who allegedly displayed placards supporting jailed activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam during a CJP protest at Freedom Park on Friday. The case was filed under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for provocation with intent to cause a riot.