The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) called off student protests at Jantar Mantar after receiving assurances, among other things, that no criminal cases would be pursued against protesters across the country. And yet, police in various parts of the country booked protesters on various charges, including attempt-to-murder. 

The majority of the cases were in Bihar, West Bengal and Assam, states where the BJP is in power. After the CJP threatened to revive their sit-in on Monday over reports of such police action, the Bihar and Assam governments said all cases will be dropped and protesters detained before 6 pm on July 26 will be released. West Bengal is yet to announce any such action. 

Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as education minister was just the first of four demands put forward by the CJP at the start of the protest. When the government accepted the CJP’s demands, Union minister JP Nadda had unambiguously stated that cases filed so far would be withdrawn nationwide. “The core of their four-point requirement was that no action or FIRs should be taken, and if any exist, they should be withdrawn whether filed by Delhi police or in any BJP-ruled state. We will provide them copies of those FIRs, and upon withdrawal, no further action will be pursued,” Nadda said.

On the ground, however, things looked different. 

Arif-ul Islam, a 28-year-old law graduate and practising lawyer, was at a petrol pump in Chachal in Guwahati, Assam, when police made a random stop and inquiry. Chachal is a designated area where protests had been taking place, including on July 22. Arif had gone to drop a friend and was not part of the protest. "The police asked him what he was doing in the area. He identified himself and showed them his bar ID and other documents proving his identity. The police detained him and registered his arrest at 9 pm," said Aman Wadud, who represents Arif. 

In the arrest memo, the police said that Arif was found to be allegedly “leading, inciting and instigating protests”. He was found at the site of the protest and was allegedly arguing with and obstructing on-duty police officers, it said.

The memo said investigations had revealed that many of the protesters were students, and the source and manner of potential funding had to be probed.  

The police claimed that they would investigate whether there was foreign funding involved to pursue the resignation of public functionaries. Wadud, meanwhile, maintained that Arif did not take part in the protest.

A Guwahati-based woman lawyer had been attempting to mobilise help for those who have been detained by the police. "I have received at least 200 calls just to my number; the police crackdown........

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