New Delhi, Oct 29 Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijit Dipke on Thursday assured support to all those fighting against injustice, urging people to give the outfit time to respond to various national issues.
In a video message posted on Instagram, Dipke said CJP stands in solidarity with all voices against injustice — including the family of deceased IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, those raising concerns regarding the situation at Jamia Millia Islamia, and those protesting against the felling of trees in the Bhimashankar wildlife sanctuary in Maharashtra’s Raigad district for a proposed hydroelectric project.
Dipke further said the outfit, formed just three or four months back, has limited resources and is dealing with police action against its leaders and volunteers — making it difficult for the organisation to immediately respond to emerging issues.
“I am reading lots of comments from you all, where you are writing — why is CJP not speaking about Sahil Wakode? Why is CJP silent about what is happening at Jamia Millia Islamia? Why is CJP not addressing the ongoing teachers’ protest in Kerala? Why are you quiet on what is happening in Bhimashankar?” he said.
Dipke said he has spoken about Wakode’s case and the police action against his parents. He said the student’s suicide was not an isolated incident, as “many marginalised students in IITs have died by suicide; we have spoken about that as well”.
He said CJP had also responded to the developments at Jamia Millia and the Bhimashankar wildlife sanctuary and issued a statement in this regard.
“If we are not able to speak on something immediately, then please give us a little time,” Dipke said, adding that the outfit would try to raise its voice on as many issues as possible.
He said he had been jailed twice in the preceding 10-12 days, while CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das had spent eight days in jail. Hundreds of volunteers had also been detained, he said.
Dipke said the outfit was not a decades-old organisation with a large cadre or extensive resources and was relying on public support to expand its scope.
“We stand with Jamia, we stand for Bhima Koregaon (accused), we stand for Sahil Wakode’s family, and we also stand for every person fighting against injustice,” he said.
The CJP has been protesting against alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
(PTI News)
