The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Tuesday warned of resuming its nationwide agitation if the Centre does not fulfil its commitment to withdraw FIRs against protesters and prevent punitive action, claiming a recent Supreme Court interim order could be used to continue cases against students.

In a statement, CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said Direction No. 4 of the apex court’s interim order in petitions related to the CJP protest, which allows governments to proceed with existing FIRs and investigations, contradicts the assurances given by the Centre during talks that led to the end of the 36-day agitation.

Das said the organisation had withdrawn its protest in good faith after the Centre assured that FIRs would be withdrawn and protesters would not face direct or indirect action. He urged the government not to cite the court’s order as a reason for continuing criminal proceedings and called on the Centre and the concerned state governments to place the July 25 assurances before the Supreme Court.

The CJP said the deadline for implementing the assurances expired on Tuesday and reiterated its demands for withdrawal of FIRs, protection against future punitive action and implementation of the commitments. It warned that it would resume nationwide protests if these assurances were not honoured.

Separately, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who is undergoing treatment for typhoid, alleged in a post on X that students continued to face police harassment and warned of a peaceful nationwide protest if such action continued.

The CJP ended its 36-day protest at Jantar Mantar on July 25 after stating that the government had accepted its key demands, including the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, withdrawal of FIRs, protection against retaliatory action and consideration of examination reforms.

Inputs from PTI

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