New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Monday warned that it would resume its agitation if the government did not provide written assurances, guaranteeing no fresh FIRs and withdrawal of criminal cases against protestors and organisers, by Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference, CJP national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the issue was discussed during the third round of talks with the government on July 25 before the 36-day protest at Jantar Mantar was called off.
“In the third round of talks, we had agreed that all FIRs filed against protestors and organisers across the country would be withdrawn and no new FIR would be filed against any organiser and protestor in future,” Ranka said.
He said the CJP had submitted a draft agreement to Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, and it was agreed that the government would share a written agreement by Tuesday after legal consultations.
“We are waiting for the government to share the written agreement. We hope a senior cabinet minister will honour the agreement and FIRs will be withdrawn, no protestor or organiser would be harassed, and no cases would be filed in future,” he said.
Ranka said if the written agreement was not received by Tuesday and protestors and organisers arrested in connection with the agitation were not released, the outfit would be “forced to protest again.”
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who also addressed the press conference, said no legal action should be taken against students who participated in what he described as an “organic” protest and announced a Rs 1 crore contribution to support legal assistance for those facing cases.
“We don’t want action to be taken against students who protested. It was an organic movement,” Sibal said.
He said the proposed legal network would bring together lawyers across the country willing to represent students and protestors on a pro bono basis.
“CJP will create a system and a website where lawyers from different districts can register to help. I will contribute Rs 1 crore from my side and request lawyers across the country to contribute to this fund,” he said.
