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'Will be forced to protest again': CJP warns govt, asks it to drop FIRs against protesters
In a fresh statement, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka has called on the government to ensure no charges are filed against protestors.
The Cockroach Janta Party on Monday has warned the government that it will be forced to launch another protest if all FIRs against student protestors are not withdrawn.
In a fresh statement, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka has called on the government, particularly union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, to ensure no charges are filed against protestors. Ranka also called for all detained students to be released immediately.
"We demand that all the FIRs against the protestors be immediately withdrawn, students be released and no future FIRs be filed (in line with our agreement) by Delhi police / Central investigative agencies / Police in BJP-allied states, FAILING WHICH WE WILL BE FORCED TO SIT ON PROTEST AGAIN," Ranka wrote on X.
Ranka's remarks follow a similar statement issued by Saurav Das, which addressed reports that students and other protestors were being targeted, detained, or arrested.
Before withdrawing its protest, the CJP stated that the government had assured it that no legal or police cases would be filed against protestors or volunteers for participating in protests at Jantar Mantar and in other Indian cities.
"The CJP continues to closely monitor the situation and expects the Government of India and all BJP/NDA state governments to act with utmost urgency, responsibility, and good faith that the present circumstances demand," Das added further in his statement.
Also Read | CJP asks govt to 'immediately honour' promises after protesters detained across India
AISA national president Neha Bora also called on the government to honour its assurance and withdraw all cases against the protestors.
"The Union government had assured that no cases would be filed against students protesting against the paper leak and that the existing cases would be withdrawn. However, hundreds of students remain in jail across Bihar. Arresting students and invoking serious charges such as attempt to murder against them for protesting is unacceptable," Bora told reporters.
CJP draws flak for ‘resignation party’
After CJP ended its protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, the youth-led movement came under fresh scrutiny after videos showed some of its leaders dancing and celebrating Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as education minister.
The videos shared on social media purportedly show CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and other members dancing and celebrating, following the end of the 37-day protest.
The criticism for the CJP came in after multiple reports surfaced regarding the detention of students, volunteers and protestors across India.
In response to the criticism, Das defended the videos and stated that the critics "failed to understand" Gen-Z's approach to activism.
“We can sit on the road for as long as it takes. We can protest while dancing. We can organise while sipping cold coffee. We can fight for change without looking the way previous generations think a movement should look (no shade on anyone!)," he wrote.
"That’s just how this generation is. Confident, creative, resilient, and IMPOSSIBLE to stereotype. The uncles and aunties can keep complaining. They’ll just have to deal with us!" Das added further.
'Sought legal guidance'
Addressing a press conference with Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das stated that the team sought for legal guidance at all steps of the protest.
"We were in constant touch with Kapil ji and had sought legal guidance. When we called off the protest on the 25th, we apprehended that in the future, once the movement subsided or the momentum of the protest waned, the government might start targeting individuals," said Das.
"This is a very credible apprehension, as the same playbook has been observed in other major protests where individuals were singled out and implicated in false cases. From day one, legal and medical assistance has been provided to all the students, and coordination with lawyers has been ensured so that they receive support across the country," the journalist added further.
Ashutosh Ranka further told media that the government will share its copy of the written agreement on Tuesday, which highlights the CJP’s key demands.
"All FIRs that have been filed should be withdrawn, and no protester or organiser should be harassed, detained, or arrested. No cases should be filed against any protester or organiser in the future. If the government does not share the written agreement by tomorrow, and if students, youth, and protesters who have been arrested or detained in different states are not released, the Cockroach Janta Party will once again be compelled to launch protests," Ranka told reporters at the press conference.
