Kapil Sibal Pledges ₹1 Crore to CJP Legal Aid Fund for Student Protesters

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal has pledged ₹1 crore to a legal aid fund established by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), launching a nationwide initiative to support students and protesters facing criminal cases in the aftermath of the recent agitation. The move seeks to provide legal assistance, coordinate representation across states and press for the withdrawal of FIRs registered against those involved in what the organisers describe as peaceful protests.

At a joint press conference with CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, Sibal said the initiative was prompted by reports that students continued to face FIRs and criminal proceedings despite assurances allegedly given by the Centre. Das said the party had approached the senior advocate to help create a structured legal mechanism to defend students booked by police in several states.

Sibal said the proposed network would track cases arising from protests in Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra and other parts of the country, enabling lawyers to provide timely legal assistance. He maintained that no FIRs should have been registered against peaceful protesters and called for the withdrawal of cases already filed.

Besides contributing ₹1 crore, Sibal appealed to advocates across India to donate to the fund or offer pro bono legal services, saying financial hardship should never prevent students from accessing justice. "Our lawyers are standing up for those who have been affected by the misuse of law," he said while urging the legal fraternity to participate in the initiative.

As part of the programme, the CJP plans to launch a dedicated online portal that will maintain a database of students facing legal action, track the status of cases and connect affected individuals with lawyers willing to represent them. The platform will also allow advocates from across the country to register and volunteer their services.

The initiative comes in the wake of the nationwide student protests over the NEET controversy and marks a shift from street mobilisation to a coordinated legal campaign. Along with creating a ₹1 crore legal aid corpus, the CJP aims to build a national network of lawyers to assist students facing criminal proceedings while continuing to demand that all cases against peaceful protesters be withdrawn.