Govt using SC order to avoid assurances on FIRs: CJP warns of fresh protests

The Cockroach Janta Party CJP has warned that it will resume nationwide protests if the Centre does not honour its alleged assurances to withdraw FIRs filed against peaceful protesters involved in demonstrations over examination paper leaksThe warning comes after the Supreme Court while hearing petitions related to the alleged use of excessive force against students protesting at Delhis Jantar Mantar and other locations directed that no coercive action be taken against peaceful protesters The court also ordered the release of detained protesters with no prior criminal record while allowing investigations into existing FIRs to continueCJP alleges government has changed its positionSpeaking to IANS on Tuesday CJP spokesperson Saurav Das alleged that the Centre had earlier assured protesting students that no new FIRs would be registered against peaceful demonstrators and that existing cases would be withdrawnHowever after the Supreme Courts order in the PILs related to our protests the government is now saying the matter is sub judice citing the courts observation that investigation into existing FIRs can continue Das saidAccording to Das the organisation had expected the Centre to provide a written assurance by Tuesday confirming its commitments He claimed that no such communication had been receivedWe have not received that assurance yet and the government is using the Supreme Courts order as an excuse to call the issue sub judice he addedSupreme Court order at the centre of disputeReferring to the apex courts directions Das argued that the order does not prevent governments from withdrawing FIRs and alleged that the ruling is being interpreted in a way that could adversely affect students facing legal proceedingsNowhere in the Supreme Courts order is it written that FIRs would not be withdrawn The power solely lies with the government The Supreme Court should also understand how the government is misusing its orders and politicising and weaponising them against the youth The government should fulfil the guarantees it gave us he saidThe Supreme Courts observations came while hearing petitions concerning the police response to antipaper leak protests The court directed authorities not to take coercive action against peaceful protesters and ordered the release of detained individuals without prior criminal records while permitting investigations in already registered FIRs to continueOrganisation warns of fresh demonstrationsDas said the organisation would restart its agitation if the assurances made during discussions with the government were not implementedWarning of renewed protests he said the organisation would once again take to the streets in support of students facing legal actionHe also alleged that protesters in several states including Uttar Pradesh Goa Rajasthan Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh continue to face legal action and harassmentThere are apprehensions that protesters are being harassed or targeted and FIRs have already been registered against some of them We had demanded from the beginning that all protesters across the country be given protection and that all FIRs against them be withdrawn he saidBackground of the antipaper leak agitationThe CJP launched its protest against alleged examination paper leaks at Delhis Jantar Mantar on June 20 Among its key demands was the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra PradhanThe agitation culminated in a Parliament March on July 20 during which clashes broke out between protesters and security personnel Police used batons and tear gas to disperse demonstrators According to official information more than 118 police personnel were injured during the clashes while authorities alleged that many officers were attacked by protestersFollowing two rounds of discussions between representatives of the Centre and the CJP Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister on SaturdayThe organisation subsequently ended its 37day protest stating that it had received assurances from the government that no action would be taken against peaceful protesters and that compensation would be provided to the families of students who died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy However the CJP now claims those assurances have not yet been formally implemented raising the possibility of another round of nationwide protestsWith inputs from IANS