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CJP Announces Delhi Protest March on Sept 5, Teachers’ Day

The party's National Working Committee, in a press release on Monday, said it has serious doubts over whether the government intends to honour commitments made to the younger generation on July 25

The Cockroach Janta Party has called for a peaceful protest march from India Gate to the new Delhi Police Headquarters on September 5, Teachers' Day, accusing the Centre of failing to honour the promises made on July 25 to convince the outfit to withdraw its 36-day agitation against examination irregularities.

The party's National Working Committee, in a press release on Monday, said it has serious doubts over whether the government intends to honour commitments made to the younger generation on July 25.


The protest will be led by families of NEET students who died by suicide and victims of the July 20 police action.

The party said it would not accept what it described as “vishwasghaat” with Gen Z, young protesters and the families of those who died.

The statement said the march would be led by families of students who died by suicide following the cancellation of NEET exam and the subsequent re-test, and those who were allegedly subjected to police excesses during the July agitation. "Our patience cannot be mistaken for weakness. Our good faith cannot become an opportunity for the government to betray the young people of this country," the statement read.

Jantar Mantar Protests

The development comes one month after they called off the previous agitation following negotiations with the Centre. The protests in Delhi's Jantar Mantar maidan saw unprecedented support from the public, and were overwhelmingly led by young students in India. The movement also led to similar agitations sprouting across the country in solidarity.

The CJP's agitation began at Jantar Mantar on June 20 over alleged irregularities in the examination system and the NEET paper leak and subsequently spread to other parts of the country. On July 20, a march to Parliament led by the outfit descended into chaos and violence as police cracked down on the protesters, leading to scores of injuries.

The CJP's agitation ended on July 25 after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as the union Education Minister and the government, following talks with CJP representatives, agreed to its other demands, including compensation for families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide, and withdrawal of FIRs against protesters.

The two sides had also agreed to hold further discussions on broader examination reforms.

CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka had announced the withdrawal of the protest at a joint press conference with Union ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh, saying they were ending the agitation in "good faith" on the understanding that the agreed terms would be implemented within the stipulated timeline.


Post Protest Activities

After the protests were called off, CJP official spokespersons have since repeatedly accused the Centre of dragging its feet, particularly on the promise to withdraw FIRs and the protection of protesters from punitive action.

The issue had reached the Supreme Court, where the CJP on August 18 accused the Centre of resisting efforts to facilitate the quashing of FIRs against students and protesters. It had then warned that failure to show concrete progress on the July 25 commitments could lead to renewed nationwide action.

In its statement on Monday, the CJP alleged that the government had "delayed action, hidden behind technicalities and avoided giving clear commitments" and said a written assurance promised by the Centre was also pending.

"A government cannot take the trust of an entire generation, use it to send young people home, and then quietly retreat from its own word. We will not accept this betrayal," it said.

The outfit appealed to students, youth organisations and young people from across the country to join the September 5 march, while stressing that the protest would be peaceful.

"The families who lost their children will walk at the front. Victims of police brutality will walk beside them. Behind them will walk a generation demanding only one thing from its government: Keep your word," it said.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle with agency inputs )
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