Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has alleged that party activists are receiving police notices and being pressured not to participate in the organisation’s proposed protest in New Delhi on October 10.
Speaking at a press conference in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Tuesday, Dipke claimed that police officials had questioned CJP workers about their travel arrangements and the source of funds being used to travel to Delhi.
The allegations come days before the CJP’s planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar, which is being organised over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the party’s demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Chandrapur Police Notices Questioned
According to Dipke, Chandrapur police served notices to CJP activists asking them not to participate in the October 10 agitation in Delhi.
He claimed that police officials also questioned activists about how their travel expenses were being funded. Dipke questioned why local police authorities should intervene when individuals from Maharashtra decide to travel to Delhi to participate in a political demonstration.
He also questioned the basis for describing the proposed protest as potentially violent before it has taken place.
Dipke said the police had referred to the possibility of violence and had also issued directions concerning social media posts that could allegedly contribute to unrest.
Dipke Questions Prediction of Violence
Dipke questioned how authorities could know in advance that the October 10 demonstration would become violent.
He asked whether such concerns indicated that authorities had already anticipated problems at the protest. He also referred to Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar while questioning whether discussions invoking their ideas could be considered inflammatory.
The CJP founder maintained that the proposed demonstration was intended as a peaceful political mobilisation.
His comments came after the party announced plans for the October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar. The demonstration is aimed at demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
CJP Plans October 10 Jantar Mantar Protest
The CJP announced the Delhi protest after a large demonstration led by Dipke at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on October 2.
The party has been campaigning against alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise and has raised questions about the functioning of the Election Commission. Dipke has said the October 10 demonstration will be another major mobilisation against what the party considers concerns surrounding the electoral-roll revision process.
The SIR exercise has become a major political issue, with opposition parties and civil society groups raising concerns about voter deletions and the possibility of eligible voters being excluded from electoral rolls.
The Election Commission, however, has defended the revision process and rejected suggestions of internal divisions over SIR-related decisions. The poll body has maintained that decisions concerning the exercise were taken unanimously.
Dipke Raises ‘One Nation, One Election’ Issue
During the press conference, Dipke also criticised the BJP-led central government over the concept of “One Nation, One Election”.
He alleged that the phrase was being used as a slogan and claimed that the broader intention was to create a political system with “one nation, one political party”.
These remarks form part of Dipke’s wider criticism of the central government amid the ongoing dispute over electoral rolls and the Election Commission.
The CJP has positioned its October 10 protest as part of a larger campaign seeking accountability and changes in the functioning of electoral institutions.
Political Tensions Rise Ahead of Protest
The allegations of police notices come amid increasing political activity surrounding the October 10 demonstration. CJP leaders have previously warned that attempts to prevent their activists from reaching Delhi would not stop the planned mobilisation.
Other CJP leaders have also claimed that authorities could take action against senior members of the organisation ahead of the protest. These claims have added to the political tension surrounding the upcoming demonstration.
However, the allegations regarding pressure on activists have been made by Dipke and the CJP, and the claims should be viewed in that context.
October 10 Protest Under Focus
With the October 10 protest approaching, attention is now focused on whether CJP supporters from different parts of the country will be able to participate in the planned Jantar Mantar demonstration.
Dipke has continued to insist that the party’s agitation will go ahead despite what he describes as pressure on its activists. The dispute also brings renewed attention to the broader debate over the SIR exercise, electoral-roll revisions and the rights of citizens and political groups to participate in peaceful demonstrations.
The coming days are likely to determine the scale of the CJP mobilisation and how authorities respond to the proposed protest in the national capital.