The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Monday threatened to escalate its campaign into a nationwide protest, accusing the BJP-led government of violating its agreement by allowing police action against protesters to continue.
The warning, issued at a joint press conference with Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, threatens to escalate tensions between the two-month-old outfit and the government since the CJP called off its 49-day agitation following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 25.
The CJP alleged that police action against protesters had continued despite the July 25 agreement, under which the Centre had assured that all existing FIRs would be withdrawn, and no fresh cases would be registered. It accused the government of failing to honour its promise to immediately withdraw the cases, while continuing to arrest students and subject volunteers to "surveillance and harassment".
"If we do not receive a written copy of the commitments agreed upon on July 25 by tomorrow, we will be forced to resume our protests," CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said.
The party also reiterated the agreement's promise of "maximum possible compensation" for the families of NEET paper leak-related suicide victims, and the Centre's commitment to consider its five-point examination reform charter.
Earlier in the day, CJP spokesperson Abhishek Ranka had alleged on X that the government had breached its assurance of no punitive action against protesters.
"We are observing a complete breach of the agreement regarding no police action against the protestors. Hundreds of students have been arrested in Bihar and Bengal, and hundreds are being surveilled and harassed in Delhi and other states. Multiple reports are emerging in Delhi regarding the detention of volunteers supporting protestors with logistics," he wrote.
Ranka demanded that all FIRs against protesters be withdrawn immediately and that no fresh cases be registered by Delhi Police, central investigative agencies, or police forces in BJP-ruled or BJP-allied states.
The confrontation came just days after the CJP withdrew its agitation following three rounds of talks with Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh.According to the CJP, the agreement included the withdrawal of all FIRs filed by the Centre and NDA-ruled states against protesters and organisers, an assurance that no further action would be taken against anyone involved in the agitation, compensation for the families of NEET paper leak-related suicide victims, and a commitment to consider its five-point examination reform charter.
POLICE ACTION CONTINUES'
Addressing the press conference, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said the organisation had anticipated a crackdown once the protests were suspended.
"We have been consulting with Kapil Sibal before and after the protest was called off because we were apprehensive that once the momentum went down, the government would start targeting students individually. This has been the government's playbook," Das said.CJP member Ratna Singh alleged that police action had intensified across several states. She claimed that seven to eight FIRs had been registered in Assam, while 11 people had been arrested in Kolkata, 10 of them Muslims, and booked on charges of attempt to murder. She further alleged that 86 people had been arrested in Bihar."The students who are being targeted, we are with you," the CJP said.
LEGAL SUPPORT FOR PROTESTERS
The organisation announced the launch of 'Saakshi', an online platform where protesters can upload videos and photographs allegedly showing police action against them.
Kapil Sibal announced legal support for those facing police action and said he would contribute Rs 1 crore to set up a legal assistance platform. "We don't want any action against the people who were protesting. We have to make a website through which protesters can approach lawyers. I appeal to lawyers across the country to stand with these protesters," he said.
Sibal also alleged that Delhi Police was using facial recognition technology to identify protesters. "Delhi Police is targeting all those who joined the protest using facial recognition. They can even give it a communal angle," he said.
Just days after both sides claimed to have found common ground, the trust underpinning the July 25 agreement appears to be fraying. The next 24 hours could decide whether the truce holds or gives way to another nationwide confrontation.