‘Kuch log videsh mein baith kar…’: BJP’s veiled dig at CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke after Jantar Mantar protest

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday appeared to take an indirect swipe at CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, stating that certain individuals based overseas believe they can guide and influence India’s youth.

This comes after hundreds of demonstrators assembled at Jantar Mantar on Saturday under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), calling for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment processes.

In a post on X, the BJP, without naming anyone, said, “Some people sitting abroad think they will give direction to India’s youth. India’s youth live in the village square with the farmer, in coaching institutes, and on college campuses. But India’s youth is not going to move forward by becoming a puppet in the fist of a few people sitting in Delhi.”

Dipke, who called for the protest, arrived in Delhi from the United States on Saturday morning.

Protesters carrying placards seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were seen wearing cockroach masks, which were distributed at the protest site. Along with demanding Pradhan’s resignation, demonstrators also chanted slogans urging the ruling BJP to refrain from engaging in “Hindu-Muslim” politics and raised patriotic slogans such as “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”

Here’s what Dipke said

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke urged participants to confine their slogans to those celebrating the nation and honouring Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar, while voicing opposition to communal politics.

Dipke also remarked that his mother was more emotional upon his return to India than when he had departed for the United States, as she had been worried that he might be arrested after coming back.

“This is not just the fear of my mother, this is the fear of the parents of any youngster who speaks on politics…. How long will we live in fear? Tell them, we are not scared,” he said.

Dipke participated in the demonstration held under heavy security. He was later joined by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI’s Annie Raja and activists from Left student and youth organisations also participated in the protest.

“My friends, this is a long struggle. It has been a month since we started demanding Pradhan’s resignation on social media, but these individuals are so shameless that instead of taking action, they have been focussed on other distractions, like hacking our accounts and getting our posts deleted. You may be able to delete our posts, but you cannot erase us from this space,” Dipke said during his address to the crowd, which energetically supported his words.

Recalling his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport earlier in the morning, Dipke said just before his plane was about to land, he felt as though he was living his last moments of freedom. “I was fully prepared to sacrifice my freedom for this cause,” he said, PTI reported.

The CJP founder claimed that many people have compromised themselves and “sold out” due to the fear of imprisonment. “Lekin is desh ka chatra, yuva nahi bika hai (The youth and students of this country have not sold themselves),” he said amid loud cheers from the crowd.

Dipke’s latest appeal reiterated those instructions, emphasising a respectful engagement with law-enforcement personnel during the demonstration.

(With inputs from agencies)