After protests in India, intimidation with punishment?

In the wake of widespread protests in India, students and activists have accused authorities of using threats of punishment to intimidate dissenters. The movement, known as the "Cockroach Janata Party" or CJP, translated as “Kakerlaken-Bewegung”, has gained momentum after forcing the resignation of the education minister and securing an unusual political victory. The group promised to compensate families of graduates who took their own lives due to extreme psychological pressure from repeating the central examination. It also vowed to release all detainees without charges. Just over a week later, student leaders claimed the protest had shifted from streets to police stations, courtrooms and social media platforms. "The manner in which former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was celebrated by his political allies following his resignation shows that the government has not learned anything from what the students tried to convey during the protests," said Kapil Sibal, a member of parliament from the Indian National Congress party, speaking to Deutsche Welle. Sibal, a lawyer, contributed approximately 91,000 euros from his personal assets to establish a legal aid fund for demonstrators arrested during the Kakerlaken-Bewegung. Despite assurances from state governments that they would halt police administrative proceedings related to the protests, with one exception, the promise did not automatically lead to the dismissal of criminal cases. Legal expert Rebecca Mammen John emphasized that the Criminal Procedure Code must be followed, stating that verbal commitments from the government hold no legal weight. Ultimately, she noted, it is up to the judiciary to decide whether charges should be withdrawn or investigations discontinued. Leaders of the movement argue that the clause regarding prior convictions creates a risk of selective prosecution. "This was never part of the promises we were given," said Neha Bora, president of the Indian Students Union (AISA). "The police spoke of around 2,800 protesters facing legal action. For us, this looks like an attempt to justify the harsh tactics used against the movement and discredit it." Bora herself went on a 23-day hunger strike during the protests. "But students continue to stand united and demand the release of all detained individuals." Government representatives stressed that peaceful demonstrators had nothing to fear and that investigations would proceed only against those accused of violence or other crimes. Mohammad Junaid Malik, a law student, filed a complaint with the Supreme Court alleging unlawful arrests, interrogations and harassment against his family after the protests ended. He ran a free community kitchen for demonstrators at the central protest site, Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi. Across the country, reports emerged of arbitrary detentions. In the state of Uttar Pradesh, a young protester described being arrested because the police identified him through surveillance footage taken during a peaceful demonstration. The police denied the claim. Similar accounts came from other states, with some families reporting they were not even informed of where their children were held. Student activist Soma Roy told Deutsche Welle that many families remained in the dark about the whereabouts of their loved ones.