New Delhi: The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Saturday called off its protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar after the Centre agreed to its key demands following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The decision was announced at a joint press conference in New Delhi following the third round of talks between Union Health Minister JP Nadda, Union Minister Jitendra Singh and CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. During the discussions, the Centre agreed to the key demands raised by the protesters.
Addressing the media, Nadda said the government had agreed to withdraw all police cases registered against protesting students, provide written confirmation of the withdrawal of the FIRs and ensure the highest possible compensation for the families of students who died in incidents linked to the alleged paper leak controversy.
CJP leaders subsequently appealed to the protesters to end the agitation, saying the government's assurances addressed all the demands raised during the protest.
Pradhan's resignation, which was one of the key demands of the CJP, had already been announced.
Speaking on behalf of the Cockroach Janata Party, Saurav Das urged the protesting students to withdraw from the agitation and return home. He said the government had accepted all the demands raised by the agitators and that there was no further reason to continue the sit-in at Jantar Mantar.
The protest, which had drawn attention over several days, centred on issues arising from alleged paper leaks and the subsequent action against students who raised their voices over the matter. The protesters had demanded not only the quashing of cases filed against them but also adequate financial assistance for the families of those who died in connection with the controversy.
Nadda said the written assurance regarding the withdrawal of FIRs would be issued shortly, while mechanisms for providing compensation would be worked out to ensure the highest feasible relief for the affected families.
He also emphasised that the government was committed to addressing the concerns of the student community and said the decision to accept the three demands reflected its willingness to resolve the matter through dialogue rather than prolonged confrontation.
Das, in his remarks, appealed for calm and asked students to accept the government's assurances in “good faith” and disperse peacefully.
With the Centre's formal acceptance of the demands now on record, organisers and party representatives expressed hope that the agitation would conclude without further escalation.
Students present at the venue were expected to discuss the latest development among themselves before deciding on their next course of action.
With IANS inputs