Smriti Irani calls Jantar Mantar protest a Machiavellian playbook

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Union minister Smriti Irani on Friday termed the ongoing protest by young aspirants at Delhi's Jantar Mantar as employing a 'Machiavellian playbook', alleging it was orchestrated by political groups. Speaking to reporters, Irani argued that not all demonstrators belonged to Gen Z, pointing to the inclusion of politicians from various parties. She did not name any specific outfit but claimed the opposition was misusing students' anger over stalled recruitment and paper leaks. The protest, which has entered its second week, has seen thousands demanding a CBI probe into exam irregularities and faster job allocations.