The Cockroach Janta Party’s ultimatum got a partial answer within hours. After CJP warned it would resume its nationwide protest unless the Centre gave a written assurance by Tuesday on withdrawing FIRs and ending action against protesters, the Bihar and Assam governments announced on Monday that they would withdraw all cases and release those arrested in connection with the recent NEET paper leak protests. West Bengal’s BJP government, however, has not issued any similar order.
CJP alleges a ‘complete breach’
Earlier in the day, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka held a press conference in Delhi. He alleged what he called a complete breach of the understanding reached with the Centre on July 25. On that date, the party’s 37-day agitation was called off following Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Ranka also claimed hundreds of students had been arrested in BJP-ruled states.
“We demand that all FIRs against the protesters be immediately withdrawn, students be released, and no fresh FIRs be filed [in line with our agreement] by the Delhi Police, central investigative agencies, or police in BJP-allied states.
Failing this, we will be forced to resume our protest. We also demand that the written agreement on legal cases be shared with us by tomorrow, along with the timelines agreed upon with the Government of India,” Ranka said, flanked by Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal and fellow CJP spokesperson Saurav Das.
Das said the party had anticipated legal action against protesters even before the Jantar Mantar sit-in wound down on July 25. He said CJP’s leadership had met Sibal, a senior advocate, to seek legal guidance for protesters facing criminal proceedings across the country.
The party has since launched a nationwide legal aid cell along with an online evidence-gathering platform called SAAKSHI. Sibal announced a Rs 1 crore corpus to run the legal aid network. He added the funds would go exclusively toward assisting protesters.
What Bihar and Assam have committed to
In its statement, the Bihar government said no “punitive, retaliatory, or adverse legal action” would be taken against anyone who took part in the state’s protests before 6 pm on July 26.
Those arrested or detained before that cut-off would be released “expeditiously,” and no direct or indirect action would follow against people named in cases registered before the deadline.
A total of 694 people were taken into custody during the Bihar bandh on July 25. Of these, 339 minors and students have already been released after verification.
Assam announced a similar cut-off, committing to withdraw cases and review the arrests of those still in custody. Thirteen people had been arrested and five cases registered in the state in connection with the protests.
According to CJP, government officials later met the party’s delegation for two to three hours. They handed over the Bihar and Assam notifications guaranteeing the withdrawal of FIRs and releases.
Das said officials reiterated a commitment to issue similar guarantees from the Union government and other BJP or NDA-ruled states by Tuesday.
NDA allies split in Bihar
The arrests, along with a widely shared video of a policeman firing an AK-47 during the July 25 Bihar bandh in Siwan, triggered a political row in the state. This likely factored into the government’s decision to act.
All India Students’ Association national president Neha Bora, who had spent 23 days on hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, arrived in Patna on Monday and demanded the immediate release of those arrested.
“Arresting students and invoking serious charges such as attempt to murder against them for protesting is unacceptable. The government must honour its assurance and withdraw all cases against the protesters; otherwise, Bihar too will witness protests similar to those in Delhi,” Bora said.
The BJP’s allies in Bihar’s ruling NDA coalition appeared divided over the police response. JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said there should be “no repeat of the Siwan-like incident,” adding that the police’s suspension of the constable involved in the firing showed the force was being fair. He called for a comprehensive report on both the Siwan incident and the overall police response during the bandh.
Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha also demanded a detailed report, saying police need to distinguish between genuine students and anti-social elements.
With Bihar and Assam already moving and the Centre expected to issue its own guarantee notification by Tuesday, the pressure now sits squarely with West Bengal.
Whether Mamata Banerjee’s government falls in line or continues to hold out will determine whether CJP’s threat of resuming nationwide protests stays hypothetical or becomes the next flashpoint in a standoff that was supposed to have ended a week ago.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
