An impasse over student protests demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan deepened on Wednesday as crowds swelled and tensions briefly flared at Jantar Mantar, while the Opposition jammed Parliament during the day and the government said it was open to a detailed discussion.Students and protesters gather in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan (HT Photo/ Vipin Kumar)Clashes erupt at protest siteTwo days after sweeping protests brought central Delhi to a standstill, clashes broke out between a section of agitators and the police on Wednesday evening, leading to injuries to at least five protesters and five security personnel, including an additional commissioner of police (ACP)-rank officer. Internet was suspended between 6pm and 6am, the second time in three days.Visuals of the clashes, which broke out on Sansad Marg around 8.15pm, outside the main protest site in Jantar Mantar, showed hundreds of people on the streets, stone pelting and tear-gas shelling, and scores of police and paramilitary personnel in riot gear hitting out with batons.Also read: Lathis, tears, barricades: How CJP march was halted by police | Ground Report“I have been coming for a week and staying for 6-7 hours. Today, some unruly people got triggered after the police tried to push them. Police tear-gassed us and I fell. I somehow managed to get up and everyone was running,” said Shivam Sharma, a student.Additional DCP (New Delhi) Anand Mishra said five policemen were injured after protesters dragged them and assaulted them, including ACP Vivek Bhagat who was critical. Delhi Police told ANI the situation was “tense for a few minutes”.Some Cockroach Janta Party volunteers could be seen removing stones from the road and making appeals for calm in coordination with the police. They also said that the people who turned unruly were not part of the main protest. A volunteer mounted on top of the bus implored protesters to remain calm and said any violence would “wipe off efforts of 25 days.” He added, “We are for peace. No one will engage in throwing stones and plastic bottles.”Also read: FIR registered over assault of two RAF personnel during CJP protests: PoliceGovernment offers Parliament discussionUnion minister JP Nadda said the government was ready for a detailed discussion on the issue in Parliament and slammed the Opposition, particularly the Congress for trying to seek “political mileage” from the ongoing protest against irregularities in the conduct of examinations.Pointing out that this was not the time to trade blame, Nadda said the political parties need to discuss the concerns raised by the students.“...And the best place to do so is Parliament. We want a thorough discussion to understand the intricacies of what the factors are, who are the people involved and how the central government has responded,” he said.Also read: ₹1 crore compensation for NEET aspirants, Wangchuk's release: The 3 demands made by CJP in letter to JP NaddaHe said the government was ready for a discussion, and the Opposition could decide the duration of the debate. “The BJP and the NDA led by PM Narendra Modi are very serious about this issue. That is why we want a discussion in Parliament, (whether it will be) a short duration or a long duration discussion should be decided in the business advisory committee (that allocates time for legislative work),” he said.Nadda said it was the responsibility of the government as well as the Opposition to find a solution to the problems of paper leak. “We are a responsible government and responsive government that is ready for discussion,” he said.Also read: 'Most anti-youth PM ever': Rahul Gandhi attacks Narendra Modi in first reaction on CJP marchOpposition demands Pradhan's resignationBut Parliament was washed out for the third consecutive day after the Opposition intensified its demand for Pradhan’s resignation and even set conditions for allowing a discussion on the subject.“There will be no discussion on the issue till the education minister resigns…It cannot be a fair discussion till he resigns,” Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said.Nadda accused the Opposition of not adhering to democratic principles.“The behaviour of the INDIA alliance is extremely irresponsible. Their anti-democratic activities are clearly visible in Parliament. By ripping apart the dignity of Parliament, they are undermining democratic values. Our government is ready to discuss not only every issue but also the paper leak in NEET and all the activities arising from it,” Nadda said.Also read: Rahul Gandhi says Dharmendra Pradhan ‘incapable’ of being education minister; no mention of CJP in speechCJP protest gains momentumBorn out of a controversial remark by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant earlier this year, the CJP first garnered millions of followers on social media before launching a sit-in protest on June 6 demanding the resignation of Pradhan over repeated question paper leaks.After days of tepid crowds, the movement was galvanised by the hunger strike and forcible removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk last week.Crowds swelled through the weekend and by Monday morning, columns of people – many of them students, first-time agitators and young professionals – had defied a steady monsoon drizzle and heavy police barricading to join what became the largest street protests in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term.At least 70 protesters and 118 security personnel were injured, and 10 first information reports have been filed by the police. One more was being registered till the time of going to press. One protester remains in ICU.Also read: CJP protest highlights: CJP volunteer stands atop police vehicle, urges people against stone peltingSince then, opposition parties have rallied behind the protesters who have only grown in numbers and continue to hold round-the-clock stir at Jantar Mantar. The government has met Wangchuk once and members of the CJP once. Nadda denied meeting CJP members again on Wednesday“This morning, the police reached out to us again and informed us that Union minister JP Nadda wanted to speak with us. They invited us to his residence, but we categorically declined. We are not going to anyone’s house or office. A ‘janata darbar’ is being held here, and if the ministers want to talk, they should come to the people. The discussion should take place at Jantar Mantar. At the same time, we are reasonable people. If the government is concerned about security at the protest site, we are willing to meet at a neutral venue near Jantar Mantar. We are still waiting to hear back from them,” CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said.Rahul Gandhi joinsCongress leader Rahul Gandhi – who held a surprise protest outside Modi’s residence on Tuesday before being bundled out by the Delhi Police – held a press conference where he accused the government of destroying the education system of the country.The Congress leader asserted that three demands - resignation of Pradhan, action against those who assaulted students, and an apology from the prime minister – were non-negotiable.“The thing that is very clear to everybody is that our education system, which was known to be one of the best education systems in the world, is today rigged... What we do know is that 152 paper leaks have taken place over the last decade,” he said.Also read: Rahul Gandhi sets ‘non-negotiable’ demands for PM Modi, Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET protestsHours later, Nadda hit back.“It is not good to score points by politicising the issues raised by the students. Rahul Gandhi spoke about about 150 instances of paper leaks… we are a responsible government and we will give responses,” he said listing the instances of paper leaks that have taken place in Opposition-ruled states including Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, West Bengal (during Trinamool Congress’s rule) Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu (during Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s rule).“Why is Rahul Gandhi so selective? Why has he not spoken about the governments that are part of the INDI alliance. This clearly shows that your motive is definitely not the interest of students, you’re not interested in improving the quality of education or for students to get justice. You are trying to take political mileage from this,” he said.Also read: Govt responds to Rahul Gandhi's 150+ paper leaks claim, questions ‘selective outrage’On Monday, Nadda had met two representatives of the CJP. Along with his cabinet colleague Jitendra Singh, he had gone to meet Wangchuk on Tuesday night.“We requested him to break his fast, join the mainstream, and guide the children in the right direction. Our government is open to discussions on all issues and is always willing to address them...Today, he wrote me an open letter. We will respond to that letter, and after responding, we will ensure that the talks move forward,” the minister said.