CJP expands protest nationwide, sparks political battle in West Bengal

Political parties in West Bengal have taken sharply different positions ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) planned protest march in Kolkata on Friday, 24 July. While the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Congress and the Left have expressed solidarity with the students' demands, the BJP-led government has strongly opposed the proposed rally, warning that it will not allow any breakdown of law and order.

TMC leader Pratikur Rehman backed the students' demands, saying, "It is the right of the students to protest against corruption, and I don't think they will have to take permission for that. They should intimate the police about their rally."

He added that TMC supremo and former chief minister Mamata Banerjee had already expressed support for the agitation and that party leaders Mahua Moitra and Sagarika Ghosh had met Sonam Wangchuk. Rehman said he personally backed the students' demands and would try to attend Friday's rally.

Veteran Left leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said the protests should spread across the country. "The students who have been subjected to atrocities (during the CJP's march to Parliament in Delhi on 20 July) did not have firearms with them. They had books and pens. There should be protests all over the country," he said, adding that Left student organisations would also hold a rally in the College Street area on Friday over the same issues.

West Bengal Congress media chairperson Mita Chakraborty said her party supported the issues raised by the students but believed political parties should avoid taking over the agitation. "We support the issues raised by the CJP and our leaders met Sonam Wangchuk. This is a student movement and we believe that if political parties join them, it will dilute their issue," she said.

She added that Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had already protested against the alleged police action on students in Delhi and that the Congress would continue to support their cause.

The BJP, however, struck a very different note. State spokesperson Debjit Majumdar warned that the party would not tolerate violence in the name of protest. "Students certainly have the right to protest, but there are others besides students and the youth; their interests must also be considered. Anarchy in the name of protest will not be tolerated in Bengal," he said, alleging that the recent protests in Delhi had witnessed violence and attacks on journalists.

Senior BJP leader Tapas Roy also appealed to the public to remain vigilant. "We will not allow any attempt to instigate such incidents within West Bengal. The administration is keeping a strict vigil on the matter," he said, while accusing Opposition parties of trying to use the movement for political purposes.

Senior BJP leader and minister Dilip Ghosh dismissed the agitation altogether. He alleged that the organisers were "professional agitators" and claimed they were acting as "puppets of foreign interests".

Referring to the farmers' protest, he said, "They will meet the same fate as the farmers' protest. The people of the country do not stand with these agitators."

The differing political reactions come as the CJP prepares to expand its campaign beyond Delhi. According to Kolkata Police sources, party member Dedipya Gangopadhyay has written to the joint commissioner (headquarters) and the joint commissioner (crime) seeking permission for a march from College Square to Rani Rashmoni Road at 4.00 pm on Friday. Around 1,500 participants are expected. Although permission has not yet been granted, police said they were making security arrangements in anticipation of the event.

The CJP has urged students, youth organisations and civil society groups to participate peacefully. Protesters have been asked to raise only positive slogans such as 'Jai Hind', 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', 'Inquilab Zindabad' and 'Jai Bhim'. The organisation has also advised participants not to respond to provocation, to report suspicious activity and to cooperate with volunteer marshals to ensure the demonstrations remain peaceful.

The movement began after allegations of irregularities and question paper leaks in the NEET undergraduate medical entrance examination. The CJP has been holding an indefinite protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and accountability for those responsible for the alleged examination scandal.

The movement has received support from several prominent Bengali cultural figures. Actor Jeet said students deserved a fair and corruption-free education system and urged people not to politicise the issue. Musician Rupam Islam shared his protest song, Sanghati Janai, in solidarity with students, while National Award-winning filmmaker Anjan Dutt said students were seeking justice through democratic and constitutional means and deserved to be heard.