Founder of youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday warned of fresh protests amid concerns of arrests following a month-long agitation that saw the resignation of India’s education minister.
Dipke’s CJP led youth protests for weeks after a leak in medical exam papers affected nearly two million students. Protesters called for reforms and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Amid growing public anger, Pradhan stepped down on Saturday, bringing the month-long agitation to an end.
However, concerns over the arrest of some protesters and alleged police harassment have prompted fresh warnings from youth leaders.
Dipke insisted that “students are not terrorists” and said the movement could return to the streets.
CJP on the lookout
Speaking to reporters at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Airport after returning home, Dipke demanded action against police officers who allegedly used pellet guns at the Jantar Mantar protest site on July 20.
He also claimed police in some states had been visiting the homes of student activists.
“Whether it be (Minister of Home Affairs) Amit Shah (or anyone else), action should be taken against the person who gave orders to fire pellet guns,” he was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India.
“These students are not terrorists. They are the future of our country. If the future of the country is troubled in such a way, just as Dharmendra Pradhan had to step down … Tomorrow, we will go and change the government if it doesn’t fall in line,” he added.
Asked whether there was a possibility that the CJP could reignite new protests, Dipke said: “The government is forcing us to start a protest against … it should stop troubling the students.
“The anger is still there among students, because their anger was not against just one minister, but against the entire government.”
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Supreme Court steps in
The warning comes as the Supreme Court ordered the release of youngsters under the age of 18 who were arrested during the protests, according to Reuters.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant headed the bench that heard petitions alleging police brutality during the agitation.
Kant underscored the importance of a fair and independent probe.
“All states are hereby instructed to release children under the age of 18, who have been reported to be arrested or detained in connection with the ongoing protests and who do not possess any criminal antecedents,” the bench stated.
While the bench said no coercive action should be taken against protesters, it allowed the Delhi government and other states to continue investigating registered First Information Reports.
The court also said it was considering the establishment of an independent and transparent investigation through a task force.
The probe would examine all allegations, including attacks on 250 police officers.
Task force constituted
The government has also tried to appease protesters this week.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a high-powered task force that will examine recommended education reforms.
One of its aims is to make the exam system more trustworthy and transparent.
The task force will be headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani and will include a multidisciplinary group of domain experts.
Union minister Pralhad Joshi, who took over the Education Ministry after Pradhan’s resignation, said no compromises would be made “to the future of our youth.”
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