Photo: IANS
New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Monday urged the Centre to honour its commitment by issuing a written agreement on the withdrawal of criminal cases against protesters and organisers, warning that it would revive its agitation if the assurance was not delivered by Tuesday.
At a press conference, CJP national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the issue had formed part of the third round of negotiations with the government before the 36-day sit-in at Jantar Mantar was withdrawn.
According to Ranka, both sides had agreed that FIRs registered against protesters and organisers across the country would be withdrawn and that no additional cases would be filed against those associated with the movement. He said the CJP had submitted a draft agreement to Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh, and the government had agreed to provide a written version after completing legal consultations.
He said the organisation expected the Centre to fulfil its assurances by withdrawing the cases, preventing harassment of protesters and organisers, and ensuring that no further criminal proceedings were initiated against them.
Ranka warned that if the written agreement was not received by Tuesday or if those arrested during the agitation remained in custody, the CJP would have no option but to restart its protest.
CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the organisation had ended its agitation after receiving assurances that its core demands had either been accepted or would be implemented within an agreed timeframe.
Ranka also said the organisation had sought legal advice from senior advocate Kapil Sibal before and after suspending the protest to safeguard the movement from what he alleged could be politically motivated legal action. He claimed there were concerns that participants might be targeted individually after the protest ended, as had allegedly happened during previous movements.
He added that the CJP had been coordinating legal and medical assistance for protesters across the country since the agitation began.
Addressing the media, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said students who had participated in the movement should not face legal action, describing it as an organic protest.
The CJP called off its 36-day protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday after the government accepted several key demands, including the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, while assuring action on the remaining issues within a mutually agreed timeline.