Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh has appealed for peace, safety, and dialogue amid the ongoing protests in Delhi over the alleged NEET exam paper leak.
The World Cup-winning cricketer, who was part of India’s triumphant squads in the 2007 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and the 2011 Cricket World Cup, shared a message on social media calling for an amicable resolution to the issue.
In an Instagram story, Yuvraj wrote:
“To every child, student, woman and man: you deserve the opportunity to learn in peace, grow with safety and chase your dreams. Your well-being is the foundation of a brighter India. Let’s come together to build communities of care, opportunity, and hope. Through dialogue, we can find an amicable solution for the sake of India’s future.”
Yuvraj Singh is the first current or former Indian cricketer to publicly comment on the ongoing protests being staged by students and the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) in the national capital.
While no other cricketer has issued a public statement on the matter, the wives of cricketers Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah — Devisha Shetty and Sanjana Ganesan — shared their views through Instagram stories.
According to reports, Shetty criticised the violence allegedly shown by some protesters against police personnel, while Ganesan expressed concern over the reported use of tear gas on student demonstrators.
On July 20, the CJP organised a “Sansad Chalo” protest in Delhi, which was met with police action. Opposition leaders have strongly criticised the response, alleging that protesters were subjected to lathicharge and tear gas.
The political deadlock in Parliament over the NEET-UG paper leak issue has also continued, with the Opposition demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and seeking a discussion under a specific rule. The government has stated that it is ready for a debate, provided no additional conditions are imposed.
Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have witnessed repeated adjournments over the matter.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has registered 10 FIRs in connection with the protests. The Delhi High Court has issued notices to the Centre and Delhi Police on three public interest litigations alleging excessive use of force during the protests and has directed authorities to preserve CCTV footage and other relevant electronic records related to the incident.
