Following days of intense protests across several states, Bihar and Assam have begun implementing promises to free detainees and withdraw FIRs against protesters. Student groups have welcomed the move but insist they will resume demonstrations if the Union government fails to provide a formal written assurance.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi/ July 28, 2026: The Bihar and Assam governments on Monday moved to implement key assurances linked to the recent agreement between the Centre and the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), announcing that protesters detained during the nationwide student agitation would be released and legal proceedings against them withdrawn. While the announcements were welcomed by protest leaders, the CJP insisted that the movement would remain on standby until the Union government issued a written commitment mirroring the promises made during negotiations.
The announcements followed weeks of nationwide demonstrations over alleged examination paper leaks and irregularities, which triggered large-scale protests across Bihar, Assam, Delhi and West Bengal. The unrest resulted in hundreds of arrests, clashes with police, damage to public property and injuries to both protesters and security personnel.
Bihar Begins Withdrawal Process
In an official statement, Bihar’s Home Department declared that no participant in the protests held before 6 p.m. on July 26 would face any punitive or retaliatory action. Authorities said they had begun the legal process to withdraw all FIRs, criminal complaints and related proceedings arising from the demonstrations.
The government also directed the immediate release of all individuals detained or arrested in connection with those cases, adding that no fresh proceedings linked to the protests would be initiated in future.
According to official data, nearly 700 people were detained during the agitation in Bihar. More than 330—including students, women and juveniles—were subsequently released on personal bonds, while over 300 formal arrests had been recorded earlier. Authorities also reported injuries to 91 people, including senior police officers, during clashes in several districts. Fourteen government vehicles were damaged.
The protests also sparked controversy after a constable in Siwan was suspended for firing an AK-47 rifle into the air while attempting to disperse demonstrators. No casualties were reported.
Assam Announces Similar Measures
The Assam government issued a comparable assurance, stating that five criminal cases registered during the protests would be withdrawn in accordance with legal procedure.
Officials confirmed that all 13 arrested protesters would be released and clarified that the administration had no intention of pursuing further legal action against participants. The government said the matter would be treated as closed once the withdrawal process was completed.
West Bengal Yet to Decide
West Bengal, another major centre of the protests, is expected to review pending cases but has not yet announced a blanket withdrawal.
Sources indicated that the state government may seek legal advice before dropping cases where journalists or private citizens had independently filed complaints. Kolkata Police had registered seven FIRs following violence during a demonstration at Dorina Crossing on July 24, where protesters allegedly hurled objects at police personnel, journalists and pedestrians. Sixteen people were arrested in connection with those incidents.
CJP Seeks Written Guarantee from Centre
The state announcements came after CJP leaders accused the Union government of delaying implementation of commitments made during negotiations that led to the suspension of the nationwide agitation.
CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the July 25 talks with Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh included an understanding that every FIR lodged against protesters, organisers and participants—from the Jantar Mantar movement to demonstrations across India—would be withdrawn. He said both sides had prepared a draft agreement and were awaiting the Centre’s signed version for legal scrutiny.
Earlier in the day, Ranka alleged that students continued to face arrests and surveillance in several states despite the understanding reached during negotiations. He demanded immediate release of detainees, withdrawal of all criminal cases and an assurance that no fresh FIRs would be filed against protesters.
Later that night, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said government representatives met party leaders for several hours after a press briefing and handed over copies of notifications issued by Bihar and Assam. According to Das, officials also assured the organisation that similar notifications from the Union government and other BJP-ruled states would follow shortly.
Thanks for this. I hope we can close the chapter on other states soon. https://t.co/tcVDoxzOnn
— Ashutosh Ranka (@AshutoshRanka) July 27, 2026
“No protester will be left behind. We stand together until every commitment is honoured,” Das said.
Ranka added that volunteers in Rajasthan were still facing alleged police harassment and urged the Centre to coordinate with state governments to ensure uniform implementation of the agreement.
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AISA Keeps Pressure On
The All India Students’ Association (AISA), which participated in the agitation, welcomed Bihar’s announcement but said the campaign would continue until every detained student was released.
AISA national president Neha Bora said she had met Bihar Director General of Police Vinay Kumar to press for implementation of the Centre’s assurances. She maintained that the organisation’s planned protest on July 30 would remain in place until all pending cases were withdrawn and every student was freed.
She also criticised the filing of serious criminal charges, including attempted murder, against protesters and called for their immediate removal.
Fresh Police Action Elsewhere
Even as negotiations continued, police in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal initiated proceedings over social media posts allegedly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other political leaders.
Delhi Police described notices sent to social media platforms as routine procedural action. In Madhya Pradesh, influencer Yashpal Soni was booked over an Instagram video, while in Kolkata a complaint was lodged against actor Sreelekha Mitra over caricatures of the Prime Minister shared online.
In Assam, police also detained several individuals in Lakhimpur who allegedly attempted to organise solidarity protests through WhatsApp groups. Investigators claimed they were trying to trigger widespread unrest.
Movement Remains Suspended, Not Ended
Although the CJP has suspended its nationwide agitation following negotiations with the Centre, its leadership maintains that the movement has only been paused. Protest organisers insist that every commitment—including the withdrawal of criminal cases, release of detainees and formal written guarantees from the Union government and all participating states—must be fulfilled before the issue can be considered resolved.
With Bihar and Assam having formally initiated implementation, attention now shifts to New Delhi, where student organisations are awaiting the Centre’s written assurance before deciding their next course of action.
