National NewsCJP warns of fresh protest; says interim SC order contradict...

CJP warns of fresh protest; says interim SC order contradicts govt assurances

NEW DELHI, JUL 28 (PTI): The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Tuesday warned of launching a fresh nationwide agitation if the government failed to honour its commitment to withdraw FIRs against protesters and prevent any punitive action, alleging that the Supreme Court’s recent interim order could be used to target students.
In a statement, CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said Direction No 4 in the apex court’s interim order in a batch of PILs related to CJP protest, which permits governments to proceed with existing FIRs and investigations, was contrary to the assurances given by the Centre during talks that led to the end of the 36-day agitation.
“This direction stands in direct contradiction to the solemn assurance and guarantee extended by the Government of India to the youth of this nation on July 25, namely, that the FIRs would be withdrawn and that no protester would be directly or indirectly targeted for participating in the peaceful movement,” Das said.
He said CJP had withdrawn its nationwide protest “in complete good faith” based on government’s assurances and alleged there was now a “credible apprehension” that Centre and BJP-ruled states could use the court’s order to continue cases against individual protesters.
Maintaining that the Supreme Court had not directed governments to continue the FIRs, Das said the executive still retained the power to withdraw cases or decide not to pursue them and urged the Centre not to cite the order as a reason for reneging on its commitments. He demanded that the Centre and the concerned BJP/NDA-ruled state governments place the terms of July 25 assurance before the Supreme Court in the pending proceedings “so that there is complete transparency regarding the commitments already made to the youth of this country”.
Das said the deadline for government to fulfil its assurances expired on Tuesday and reiterated the CJP’s demands for withdrawing FIRs, protection against future punitive action and implementation of the assurances “in both letter and spirit”. “Failing this… the Cockroach Janta Party will have no option but to resume its nationwide protest to protect the students and young protesters,” he said.
CJP on Saturday called off its agitation after announcing that government had accepted its key demands.

EDITOR PICKS

Protector or aggressor

Once again, the ruling BJP-led NDA government appears unwilling to accept responsibility for the consequences of its decisions. This was again proved when the Opposition MPs sought a debate on the alleged police brutalities of July 20. These were no...