Archive · 2 Aug 2026
Neha Bora's Hunger Strike and Jantar Mantar Protest
Neha Bora is a student leader who went on a 23‑day hunger strike to protest problems with the NEET exam.
After she finished the strike, she was still weak but she went to Bihar to help students who had been arrested during protests.
She talked about how police used tear gas, batons, and many barriers, which hurt many people and caused a stampede.
Bora said that the police’s harsh actions actually made more people join the protest.
The protest helped get the former education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, to resign, and even her mother started to support her activism.
Neha Bora, AISA president, ended a 23‑day hunger strike over the NEET controversy and is still recovering.
She traveled to Bihar to meet more than 600 arrested students, some facing murder‑attempt charges.
Bora described police use of tear gas, batons, and barricades that caused injuries and a stampede during the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar.
She said the protest’s brutality only strengthened the movement, drawing more participants with visible injuries.
The protest led to the resignation of former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Bora’s mother joined the sit‑in, changing her view of her daughter’s activism.
- Who
- Neha Bora, president of AISA and a JNU student
- What
- Ended a 23‑day hunger strike, traveled to support arrested students, and described police brutality at Jantar Mantar
- When
- July 20, 2024
- Where
- Jantar Mantar, New Delhi; Patna and Siwan, Bihar
- Why
- To protest the NEET controversy, demand the resignation of former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and support detained protesters
- Hunger strike duration
- 23 days
- Number of arrested students
- over 600
- Resignation of minister
- Dharmendra Pradhan
- Location of protest
- Jantar Mantar, New Delhi
- Activist
- Neha Bora