New Delhi: Senior Advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has announced a significant contribution of ₹1 crore to a legal aid fund established by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) to support student protesters. This financial commitment is intended to provide legal assistance to those arrested or booked during the nationwide demonstrations over the alleged NEET (UG) exam paper leak. The move comes shortly after the 37-day protest was suspended on July 25, following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
To facilitate this support, a dedicated website is being launched to connect affected students with the legal fraternity. This platform will serve as a tracking mechanism for police actions across various states, including Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. The CJP plans to use the website to document specific case details and allow lawyers willing to provide pro bono or low-cost legal aid to register their assistance. This framework is designed to ensure a structured monitoring of legal proceedings linked to the agitation.
During a joint press conference, Sibal issued an appeal to the legal community across India to stand in solidarity with the students. He urged lawyers to contribute to the fund and represent those facing trials resulting from what he described as largely organic and peaceful demonstrations. Sibal noted that the legal fraternity has a duty to protect those who might be unfairly targeted by authorities once the public momentum of a protest begins to subside. He emphasised that lawyers should stand up against any "misuse of law" directed at young protesters.
The CJP’s chief spokesperson, Saurav Das, expressed concerns that the government might begin targeting individual participants now that the main protests have ended. He observed that a similar "playbook" has been used in previous major protests where individuals were singled out for prosecution long after demonstrations ceased. The party had sought legal guidance from Sibal even before calling off the protests to prepare for this possibility. Das highlighted that the organisation has been providing medical and legal support since the beginning of the movement.
While the legal aid fund is being established, the Bihar government has announced the withdrawal of FIRs against protesters arrested during recent violent demonstrations in the state. This relief applies to cases registered up to 6:00 pm on July 26. Official statements confirmed that those arrested within this period will be released and face no further legal action.
Lawyers assisting the protesters are highlighting constitutional protections, specifically Article 19(1)(b), which guarantees the right to assemble peaceably. The CJP is currently demanding a formal written agreement from the Centre regarding legal protections. They claim the government gave verbal assurances that no punitive action would be taken against peaceful participants, yet reports of continued detentions in some states have led to allegations of a "breach of trust".
The issue has also sparked intense debate in Parliament, where Opposition parties have demanded an apology for police actions during a July 20 march in Delhi. The CJP has submitted a draft agreement to Union ministers and is awaiting the government's final version. They have warned that failure to provide these legal safeguards will result in a return to nationwide demonstrations.
