The Government of India is trying to betray the youth of this nation. During today’s hearing, the Supreme Court made its intention very clear: it sought a list of FIRs registered against students and protesters across the country from the Union Government so that it can quash all of them at one go, in exercise of its powers under Article 142. The Court sought this information not once, not twice, but thrice.

Yet, the Union Government’s lawyer did not commit to furnishing such a list and instead actively resisted it. But why? On July 25, CJP called off its nationwide agitation in good faith after the Government of India gave solemn commitments concerning the withdrawal of FIRs, protection of protesters from punitive action, and compensation to the affected families at a national press conference with the CJP. Today, the Supreme Court itself offered a clear path towards giving effect to one of those commitments. Providing a consolidated list of FIRs would, in fact, make it easier for the Union Government and BJP/NDA-ruled states to fulfil the assurance they gave to the country on July 25. But the Government of India is resisting.

The Court even offered the Union Government an alternative: if there are cases involving hardened criminals with a history of heinous offences who are alleged to have committed acts of violence during the protests, the Government could identify those FIRs separately so that such cases may be dealt with on their own merits.

The young people of this country are entitled to ask whether the Government of India ever intended to honour its word, or whether the assurances given by two Union Ministers before the nation on July 25 were merely meant to bring an end to a peaceful nationwide movement. We will not permit the Government to play games with the trust of India’s students, Gen-Z and young citizens. CJP has exercised patience. We have negotiated in good faith. We called off our agitation in good faith. And we have given the Government sufficient opportunity to honour its commitments in good faith.

That patience is now running out. And therefore we now warn the government. If the Government does not immediately demonstrate concrete steps towards honouring the July 25 commitments, the Cockroach Janta Party will convene its National Working Committee within the next two days to decide the next course of nationwide action. We hope the Government understands the seriousness of this moment. Do not mistake restraint for surrender. Do not mistake good faith for weakness. And do not play with the trust of an entire generation. What CJP does next will depend entirely upon what the Government of India chooses to do now.

~ Saurav Das, Co-Convenor, Cockroach Janata Party