NEW DELHI: The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Saturday announced the withdrawal of its 37-day-long massive agitation at Jantar Mantar, stating it was ending the protest “in good faith”.
The decision came shortly after former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Union Council of Ministers, and the Centre assured the organisation that its key demands would be addressed within stipulated timelines.
Agreements Reached with the Centre
The announcement followed a crucial third round of talks between CJP representatives and Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh. Addressing a press conference at the Constitution Club in the national capital, CJP Chief Spokesperson Saurav Das and spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka outlined the commitments made by the government.
According to the organisation, the Centre has agreed to:
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Compensation: Provide suitable financial compensation to the families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide, in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. The CJP had initially demanded ₹1 crore per family.
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Withdrawal of FIRs: Withdraw all FIRs registered against protesters across the country, particularly those lodged following the July 20 ‘Chalo Sansad’ march.
“All our demands have been accepted. We request all protesters to withdraw immediately and return home peacefully. We will communicate our future course of action, if required,” CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka stated.
Future Legal Protection and Reforms
Providing further details on the legal reprieves, Das noted that around 15 to 20 FIRs had been registered in Delhi alone. The government has agreed to share copies of all filed FIRs within three to four days and assured that they would be withdrawn shortly.
Furthermore, the organisation has sought a written guarantee from the government regarding the withdrawal of FIRs and protection from any future legal action, expressing hope that it would be provided by Tuesday.
Looking ahead, the CJP submitted a five-point charter of demands seeking broader, comprehensive reforms in the education and examination systems. The next round of discussions with the government to address these structural reforms is expected to take place in four weeks.
Pradhan’s Resignation and the CJP’s Origin
Earlier on Saturday, Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his statement, Pradhan noted that he was stepping down in the larger interest of students to ensure that the country’s youth did not become “trapped in a web of confusion”.
The Cockroach Janata Party, which began as a satirical social media account following controversial remarks by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, quickly evolved into a massive youth-led movement. Alongside prominent activists like Sonam Wangchuk, the CJP spearheaded the agitation demanding Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
The controversy originated after serious allegations of irregularities and paper leaks in the NEET-UG medical entrance examination surfaced in May, prompting a re-examination on June 21 and subsequent nationwide outrage.
