Following a wave of high-profile detentions, intense street clashes, and growing public scrutiny, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leadership has completed a thorough internal review of its October 10 protests in New Delhi.
CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka, in an exclusive discussion, outlined the party’s roadmap moving forward and addressed criticisms regarding their tactical handling of the agitation.
Reviewing the Crackdown and Detention Experience
The CJP leadership—including founder Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, and Saurav Das—was apprehended by Delhi Police immediately upon landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport ahead of the planned demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Detailing their hours in preventive custody under sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Ranka alleged severe harassment and procedural hurdles:
- Forced Separation: The leaders were isolated and driven to separate police stations across Delhi, located up to 40 kilometers apart.
- Legal Access Denied: Ranka claimed that access to legal counsel was initially restricted, with authorities only permitting a late-night phone call to family members.
- Legal Intervention: Formal arrests were registered only after a habeas corpus petition was moved before the Supreme Court late into the night.
Refuting Movement Restrictions and Coordination Rumors
Addressing claims that the CJP leadership had signed undertakings barring them from future agitations, Ranka dismissed the bonds as standard peace-maintenance guarantees under Section 170 BNSS. He asserted that such administrative procedures do not strip citizens of their constitutional right to assemble at designated sites.
Responding to queries regarding coordination with larger opposition fronts, Ranka clarified that no rift exists between the CJP and the INDIA bloc:
”Working together does not always mean that everyone has to appear on the same platform, at the same time, for it to count as unity… Pressure has to be applied from different directions, and that is when the government will budge.”
With the completion of their review meetings involving core members and state coordinators, the pressure group is slated to announce its revised course of action following the expiry of pending police permissions.
