NEW DELHI: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Monday expressed concern over reports that students and other protesters were being detained or arrested in Assam, West Bengal and Bihar despite the Centre’s assurance that no punitive action would be taken against those who participated in the recent nationwide agitation.The statement, shared on X by CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, came days after the organisation called off its 36-day protest.It came shortly after the Centre’s acceptance of the party’s key demand for the resignation of former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh had assured the party that no action would be taken against peaceful protesters, news agency PTI reported.The agitation, which began on June 20 over alleged examination irregularities, culminated in activist Sonam Wangchuk’s 26-day hunger strike before being withdrawn after the government’s assurances.In its statement issued on Monday, the CJP said it had received “multiple reports” that students and other protesters were being “targeted, detained, or arrested by various state agencies”, particularly in Assam, West Bengal and Bihar.“The Cockroach Janta Party had called off its nationwide protest only after the Government of India assured us that no punitive action would be taken against any protester, either now or in the future, in any BJP-ruled or NDA-ruled states. The reports emerging from these states are therefore a matter of grave concern,” it said.The organisation said its legal team was coordinating with lawyers in the concerned states to secure the release of those detained and provide them with legal assistance.It also urged the Centre, especially Nadda and Singh, to honour the assurance given during the negotiations by ensuring the release of all those detained and preventing any “coercive or retaliatory action” against protesters anywhere in the country.“The FIRs registered ought to be withdrawn too,” the statement said.The CJP said the Centre had also committed to providing a written guarantee on the issue by Tuesday and reminded it to fulfil that commitment.“Our decision to suspend the nationwide protest was taken in good faith and solely on the basis of the government’s assurance that it would stand by its word. Any departure from that assurance would not merely amount to a breach of trust with the CJP but would also be a breach of public trust with lakhs of young Indians who chose dialogue over protests,” it said.Warning that any violation of the assurance would be “completely unacceptable to the youth”, the CJP demanded the immediate release of all detainees and the withdrawal of all FIRs, failing which it said it would “take further necessary steps”.(With agency inputs)
