Agencies | New Delhi:
Delhi Police have significantly stepped up security arrangements at Jantar Mantar after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) warned that it would resume its agitation unless all First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against protesters are withdrawn immediately.
Authorities have deployed additional police personnel, strengthened barricading, and intensified surveillance at the protest venue in anticipation of a possible fresh mobilisation by the organisation.
Officials said barricades on both sides of Jantar Mantar, where the CJP had staged a 36-day protest demanding the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, have been reinforced by welding them together with iron. A company of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), supported by local police personnel, has also been stationed at the site round the clock to maintain law and order.
Police sources said the enhanced security measures were taken as a precautionary step following the CJP’s warning of renewed protests.
The organisation issued the warning on Tuesday, accusing the Central government of failing to honour its assurance that no legal action would be initiated against protesters following the conclusion of the agitation.
CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka alleged that the Centre had committed a “complete breach” of the understanding reached on July 25. He also claimed that hundreds of students had been detained or arrested in BJP-ruled states after the protest was called off.
The organisation has demanded the immediate withdrawal of all FIRs registered against protesters, the release of those currently in custody, and a halt to the registration of fresh criminal cases by the Delhi Police, central investigative agencies, and police forces in BJP-ruled states. It has also sought the immediate release of the signed agreement that, according to the CJP, formed the basis for ending the agitation.
As part of its next phase of action, the CJP announced the formation of a nationwide legal aid cell to assist protesters facing legal proceedings. The organisation also launched an online evidence-collection platform, SAAKSHI, to document alleged instances of arrests, detentions, and police action against demonstrators.
In a show of support for those facing legal proceedings, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal announced the creation of a ₹1 crore legal assistance corpus to provide legal representation to protesters booked in connection with the agitation.
The CJP had suspended its 36-day protest on July 25 following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister. However, the organisation has now warned that it will return to Jantar Mantar if its demands regarding the withdrawal of criminal cases and the release of detained protesters are not met.
