The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Saturday announced the withdrawal of its 37-day-long agitation at Jantar Mantar, saying it was ending the protest “in good faith” 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.
Addressing a press conference at the Constitution Club in the national capital, CJP Chief Spokesperson Saurav Das said the party had decided to withdraw the agitation with the understanding that the agreed commitments would be implemented within the stipulated timelines.
The announcement came after the third round of talks between CJP representatives and Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh. According to the organisation, the Centre has agreed to provide suitable compensation to the families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide and withdraw FIRs registered against protesters across the country.
The CJP has also submitted a five-point charter of demands seeking broader reforms in the education and examination systems. The next round of discussions with the government is expected to take place after four weeks.
CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the organisation had demanded compensation of ₹1 crore for the families of NEET victims. He said the government had agreed to provide compensation in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations.
He added that discussions on the five-point charter would continue during the next meeting with the Centre to work towards comprehensive education and examination reforms.
“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,” Ranka said.
The organisation had also sought the withdrawal of FIRs lodged against protesters following the July 20 ‘Chalo Sansad’ march. Das said the Centre had accepted this demand and assured that the FIRs would be withdrawn shortly.
He said the government had also agreed to share copies of all FIRs filed against protesters within three to four days. According to the CJP, around 15 to 20 FIRs were registered in Delhi.
Das further said the organisation had sought a written assurance from the government regarding the withdrawal of FIRs and protection from any future legal action. He expressed hope that the government would provide the written guarantee by Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating 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 remarks by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, later emerged as one of the groups leading the agitation alongside activist Sonam Wangchuk, demanding Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
The controversy began after allegations of irregularities in the NEET-UG examination surfaced in May. A re-examination was subsequently conducted on June 21.
-Ani
