Delhi is set to witness another “peaceful march” by the youth to be organised by Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), this time on September 5, Techers’ Day. All India Students’ Association (AISA), the students’ wing of Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation (CPI-ML) extended support to this march as soon as CJP leaders announced it on Wednesday, August 26.
The march, christened ‘India Gate 1.0’, would be held from India Gate to Delhi Police Headquarters to remind the central government of two of the ragtag youth organisation’s demands—withdrawal of FIRs registered against students and protesters and ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who died by suicide after the NEET-UG paper leak—said CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka at a media conclave on Wednesday.
CJP leaders hope that the upcoming march would lead to the fulfilment of its demands just like its Jantar Mantar-to-Parliament House march barely four weeks ago against the NEET-UG paper leak resulted in the Narendra Modi government fulfilling its main demand—Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
“CJP announces youth mobilisation on September 5th, with a peaceful march from India Gate to Delhi Police Headquarters, led by families of deceased NEET victims and victims of police brutality, over the Government’s failure to honour its July 25 commitments,” the CJP leaders said in a statement.
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The CJP leaders accused the Modi government of not fulfilling its solemn promises regarding withdrawal of FIRs and compensation to the suicide victims’ families. Even though Supreme Court of India asked the government to provide a list of FIRs registered across the country against protesters for quashing, the government did not provide it.
“The Government refused to give a clear commitment to do so. The written assurance from the Government to the CJP is also due,” said the CJP statement.
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Dipke spoke about meeting the family of Akanksha Chaturvedi and learning of the financial crises it faced after her death. Since the family had taken a ₹15 lakh loan for her medical education, the compensation promised by the government could provide some relief to families like hers dealing with grief and debt, he said.
Speaking to journalists, CJP leader Saurabh Das said the commitments the government made to CJP during the talks in July were not being fulfilled. Talking about the government’s “promise to withdraw” cases lodged against the protesting students, he said, “If there is a will, there is a way”. He also suggested that Supreme Court of India could intervene in this matter by invoking Article 142 of the Constitution, which gives it extraordinary powers to ensure complete justice.
CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka spoke about the organisation’s ongoing drive in Rajasthan to identify government schools with poor basic amenities. He said CJP wants improvements in basic education infrastructure across the country. A school in Barmer district of Rajasthan, he said, was functioning in a structure resembling a buffalo shed.
