CJP to review status of Centre's assurances; keeps option to launch fresh stir open

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) will hold a meeting of its national working committee on Monday, August 24 to take stock of the commitments made by the Centre following the withdrawal of its nationwide agitation on July 25, saying the government has yet to formally communicate the steps being taken to fulfil those assurances.

The party said all options to secure compliance with the commitments remain on the table, including the possibility of launching a fresh, peaceful nationwide agitation. "The CJP called off its agitation in good faith because the government gave its word to the young people of this country," the party said, adding that this good faith should not be mistaken for weakness. It has asked students, young citizens, supporters and volunteers to stay prepared for the outcome of Monday's meeting.

The announcement comes days after the Supreme Court, on August 18, sought a consolidated list of FIRs registered against students and protesters nationwide. According to the CJP, the court had asked the Centre three times to furnish this list so it could consider invoking its powers under Article 142 to quash the cases, but "despite the court repeatedly asking for this list, the Union government did not commit to providing it."

The party said that immediately after the hearing, its co-convener Saurav Das and legal affairs lead Ratna Singh flagged concern that the government appeared to be reneging on its word to the younger generation, given that the CJP had called off its agitation specifically on the basis of assurances made during talks with the Centre. Those assurances, the party said, included the withdrawal or quashing of all FIRs arising from the protests, a guarantee that no student or peaceful protester would face punitive action going forward, and compensation for the families of NEET-UG candidates who died by suicide after the exam was cancelled in May following a paper leak.

The CJP further alleged that the government delegation involved in the original negotiations has not formally followed up to record the steps being taken to honour the written assurances, particularly on the FIRs and compensation fronts. It said its decision to call off the agitation rested entirely on the government's word, and warned that any attempt to dilute, delay, reinterpret or go back on the commitments would be viewed as a "vishwasghaat" (betrayal) of the country's youth.

Monday's national working committee meeting will assess the current situation and determine the CJP's next course of action.

The party had called off its nationwide agitation on July 25, shortly after then-education minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned and the government assured that students and peaceful protesters would not face punitive action. The agitation had also demanded accountability in the NEET paper leak controversy and compensation for the victims who died.

(With inputs from PTI)