Chandigarh, July 21 -- The city saw a wave of solidarity demonstrations on Monday backing the ongoing protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, with residents turning out at Sector 17, opposite Neelam Theatre, and students staging a separate sit-in at Panjab University. At Sector 17, the crowd-largely students, but also senior citizens and residents across age groups-held placards and raised slogans backing activist Sonam Wangchuk, demanding Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, and calling for democratic accountability. The venue had drawn nearly 100-150 people on Sunday as well, with the turnout growing further on Monday despite the rain. The Delhi protest, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has been running at Jantar Mantar since last month over alleged irregularities in national examinations, including the NEET-UG paper leak. The group's demands include Pradhan's resignation, a judicial probe into exam-related scams, and accountability from authorities. Wangchuk had been on an indefinite hunger strike at the site since June 28 in support of the campaign; he was forcibly removed by Delhi Police on Saturday and shifted to Safdarjung Hospital, from where he continued to back Monday's planned "Chalo Sansad" march to Parliament on the opening day of the monsoon session. Delhi Police declared the march illegal, citing lack of permission, and used force including lathi charges to disperse protesters near Parliament. Meanwhile at Panjab University, students from various groups and departments stood in protest at the Student Centre in solidarity with the Delhi protest. The protestors displayed placards reading "Stop privatisation of education" and "Dharmendra Pradhan must resign," alongside Hindi and Punjabi slogans invoking government repression and demanding accountability from the authorities. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also organised a peaceful human chain protest near JW Marriott at Piccadilly Chowk under the leadership of state president Vijaypal Singh. Through the demonstration, the party expressed solidarity with environmentalist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk and demanded the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Addressing the gathering, Vijaypal Singh termed the police action against peacefully protesting students and youth at Jantar Mantar, including the use of lathi-charge and tear gas, as deeply unfortunate. He said that students raising concerns about their rights and future through peaceful democratic means should not be met with force. "In a democracy, dissent deserves respect, not suppression," he added....