Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday, October 3, said he would not be surprised if his X handle was taken down before October 10, after a post thanking former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for supporting his movement was restricted on the platform.
The post displayed a notice stating that the content was unavailable due to local regulations. The development came shortly after Banerjee publicly extended support to the CJP’s agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Dipke expressed concern over the restriction and suggested that his account could also face action ahead of the party’s proposed protest in Delhi.
Dipke Reacts to Restriction of X Post
Dipke had posted a message thanking Mamata Banerjee for extending support to the Cockroach movement.
In his post, he called for people across India to come together to protect democracy.
The post was subsequently shared by Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien before becoming inaccessible.
X displayed a notification stating, “Due to local regulations, this content is restricted on X.”
Reacting to the development, O’Brien said Banerjee had strongly supported the movement and that Dipke had thanked her for the backing.
Dipke later shared O’Brien’s post and wrote that he would not be surprised if the government took down his X handle before October 10.
However, the specific authority or process responsible for restricting the post was not independently established.
Mamata Banerjee Extends Support to CJP Movement
The development followed Banerjee’s public support for the CJP’s agitation on Friday.
Speaking to reporters at Kolkata airport after returning from Delhi, where she attended an INDIA bloc meeting, Banerjee said she supported the Cockroach movement and the young generation and students associated with it.
The CJP has been demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, raising concerns over electoral processes and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Banerjee had also previously extended support to a CJP protest at Jantar Mantar concerning alleged irregularities in the NEET medical entrance examination.
CJP’s Mumbai Protest and October 10 Plans
The latest development came a day after the CJP organised a protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on October 2, demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.
The Mumbai Police had denied permission for the demonstration. Despite this, protesters gathered at the venue, and thousands reportedly attended the event.
Addressing the gathering, Dipke announced plans for another protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10 if the Chief Election Commissioner did not step down.
He described the proposed demonstration as peaceful and appealed to citizens concerned about free and fair elections to participate.
Derek O’Brien Questions Restriction
Derek O’Brien criticised the restriction of Dipke’s post and alleged that the government was responsible for the action.
He described the move as an indication of the government’s concern over the movement.
The allegation has not been independently established, while X’s displayed notice referred only to local regulations.
The episode has added another development to the ongoing dispute surrounding the CJP’s protests and its demand for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.
Political Debate Continues Ahead of Delhi Protest
With the CJP announcing its October 10 demonstration, attention has shifted to the group’s next course of action and the response from authorities.
Dipke’s remarks about the possibility of his X account being taken down have also brought the platform’s content restriction into focus.
The CJP has maintained that its proposed protest will be peaceful, while the controversy surrounding the restricted post continues to draw reactions from political leaders and supporters.