CHANGEMAKERS
EVEN AS THE Cockroach Janta Party prepares for its legal battle over the crackdown on the anti-NEET paper leak protests, its spokesperson Ratna Singh has ruled out any immediate foray into electoral politics.
An advocate and a former journalist, Singh has emerged as one of the prominent faces of the CJP movement, combining courtroom strategy with public mobilisation as the organisation charts its next phase.
“Our focus is to help people, connect with them and raise youth-centric issues,” she told THE WEEK. “Education and the problems within the system remain at the heart of what we are doing.”
Singh said the CJP is awaiting the government’s response on its remaining demands—fixing accountability for the paper leak, withdrawal of all FIRs against protesters, action against police personnel accused of excesses, and 1 crore compensation to the families of students who allegedly committed suicide.
The CJP, she said, is working to secure relief for those detained during the protests while simultaneously engaging with the government on policy reforms. “There have been positive discussions on education reforms,” she said. “Policies need to change, but justice for the students cannot wait.”
The organisation has launched Saakshi, an online platform inviting people to upload videos, photographs and testimonies of alleged police excesses during the protests.
“Nearly 400 people had uploaded evidence (at the time of printing),” she said. “Once we verify the material, we will initiate legal action against the officers concerned and place everything before the courts.”
The CJP, according to Singh, is trying to swiftly transition into a “healing space” for young volunteers. “There was music, conversations and laughter,” she said. “They reflected on what they experienced, shared feedback and simply took a break. Gen Z expresses itself differently. They needed a day to breathe.”
