AISA supports CJP march on September 5 in Delhi; seeks withdrawal of FIR, pellet fire probe

The All India Students’ Association (AISA) has supported the protest march proposed by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on September 5 in Delhi, demanding the withdrawal of the FIR against the students and an investigation into the alleged firing of missiles and bullets during earlier demonstrations.

Expect everyone to act responsibly: SC refuses to ban September 5 CJP protest march

“The issues that fueled the youth mobilization remain unresolved, with proceedings against the students still ongoing despite the government’s earlier commitment to withdraw them,” AISA president Neha Bora told PTI on Wednesday (26 Aug 2026).

“The government must fully withdraw all the cases. There should be an inquiry into the firing of bullets and bullets and the government must be fully prepared to take responsibility for it,” the Left student leader said.

“From AISA’s side, we see that this is a matter that still remains unresolved. The government itself has pledged to withdraw the cases, but it is still a major issue where students who protested against the government have cases against them,” she said.

The Abhijeet Deepak-led CJP has announced that it will resume peaceful mobilization after a month-long hiatus following talks with the Centre.

The proposed march on September 5, which falls on Teachers’ Day, is to be led by the families of students who died by suicide after the NEET exam was canceled and then retaken, and those who were allegedly subjected to police excesses during the July agitation.

Ms Bora, who went on hunger strike for 23 days along with climate activist Sonam Wangchuk in Delhi over the NEET paper leak last month, argued that the protests were necessary because the government had made it difficult to dialogue with the common people.

“The whole point of why students and youth took to the streets and why we took to the streets was that this government made it impossible for ordinary people to have a dialogue with them,” she said.

“We stand with any democratic, secular, progressive agitation or protest that demands accountability from this government that refuses to listen,” said Ms. Bora, who also took part in the protest against alleged recruitment exam irregularities in Jharkhand.

Regarding the participation of families affected by the NEET controversy, the AISA chief said the government should have acknowledged their concerns when the agitation started.

“This government should have realized at the beginning of our agitation that the NEET disabled students and the families who lost their loved ones due to the failure of the government came out to force that they be heard,” she said.

“If this government is not willing to listen to the affected, then it only shows their inhumanity,” says the JNU PhD student, whose student team is affiliated with the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation.

Asked about the government’s likely response to the renewed mobilization, Bora said a democratic government should engage with the people who seek dialogue.

“Ideally, the government of a democracy should listen to the people who come to have a dialogue with it. I cannot say what the reaction of this government will be,” she said.

When the Delhi Police said they had not yet received a request for the September 5 march and that any request would be reviewed, Ms Bora said AISA would wait for the police’s response.

“We will also wait and see what the police say. There have been many protests in the past without permission from the police and we are the people who stand behind the democratic principle that protests do not need permission,” she said.

Ms. Bora said AISA’s support goes beyond the withdrawal of cases to include issues affecting students across the country, including the centralization of examinations and agitations at the state, university and college levels.

“What exactly this mobilization will express remains to be seen. We are continuing our campaign since the end of the Jantar Mantar movement on issues affecting students across the country,” she said.

“Whether it is protests arising out of centralization like NTA and NEET exams or even state and university/college level agitations, our solidarity and our support is there for every protest demanding rights and accountability,” added Ms. Bora.

Published – 26 Aug 2026 12:00 PM IST