New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Monday announced that it will launch a dedicated website to raise public contributions for a legal aid fund aimed at supporting protesters facing criminal cases, marking the group's next step after ending its 37-day nationwide agitation. Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, who joined the announcement, pledged ₹1 crore to the initiative and appealed to lawyers across India to represent protesters facing legal proceedings.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, CJP leaders said the legal aid initiative was designed to ensure that participants in the movement receive legal assistance if they are targeted after the protests. The party said it had consulted Sibal before and after withdrawing the agitation on July 25 over concerns that protesters could later face police action.

Chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the organisation feared a pattern in which participants in major public movements were allegedly identified and implicated in cases after protests lost momentum.

"We were in constant touch with Kapil ji and had sought legal guidance. When we called off the protest on the 25th, we apprehended that in the future, once the movement subsided or the momentum of the protest waned, the government might start targeting individuals. This is a very credible apprehension, as the same playbook has been observed in other major protests where individuals were singled out and implicated in false cases," Das said.

According to the party, the upcoming website will collect public donations to finance legal representation for protesters across states. Das added that legal and medical assistance had been provided throughout the agitation and that coordination with lawyers would now be expanded nationwide.

Speaking at the briefing, Sibal said the objective was to defend peaceful protesters rather than pursue political confrontation.

"We don't want any action against those who sat in protest. It was an organic protest. Often governments want no dissent. Wherever there were peaceful protests and wherever protestors were targeted, they will create a website. I will give Rs 1 crore. I appeal to lawyers to aid us so that wherever in India there are trials our lawyers will help protestors who are being tried," Sibal said.

He also urged lawyers across the country to volunteer their services so that protesters facing trials in different states receive legal representation.

CJP cites reports of police action

The announcement comes hours after the CJP accused the Centre of violating assurances that it says formed part of the agreement ending the protest.

In a post on X, party spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka alleged that students had been detained in Bihar and West Bengal, while volunteers in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh had faced police action and surveillance. The party demanded the withdrawal of FIRs against protesters, the release of detained students and a written copy of the agreement regarding legal protections.

Ranka said the CJP had submitted a draft agreement to Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh and was awaiting the government's written response following legal consultations.

CJP leader Ratna Singh claimed Bihar had witnessed the most extensive police action during the protests and said the party was coordinating with lawyers to assist affected protesters. She referred to reports from Patna, Siwan and Chapra while alleging excessive police action during demonstrations.

'Saakshi' platform launched to document alleged police excesses

CJP also announced the launch of an online platform called Saakshi on its website, inviting people to submit photographs and videos allegedly documenting police action during the protests.

According to the organisation, submitted material will be reviewed by its team, which will then coordinate with those who provide evidence. The platform also includes a tutorial explaining how users can upload material securely.

CJP said the initiative is intended to document alleged instances of police brutality and preserve evidence that may be used in future legal proceedings.

Background

The CJP called off its 37-day agitation on July 25 after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. The party has said the government assured it that cases against protesters would be dropped, police intimidation would stop and anti-paper leak legislation would be introduced.

However, the CJP now alleges those assurances are being violated and has warned that nationwide protests could resume if FIRs are not withdrawn and the government fails to honour the commitments it says were made during negotiations.