New Delhi: Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), alleged on Monday that supporters of their ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, which has now entered its tenth day, are being questioned by the police, and that basic facilities are being denied at the protest site.
Dipke also highlighted the recent cases of student suicides and criticising the government’s alleged lack of response to the families affected. In a series of posts on X, Dipke named students – Pradeep Meghwal, Aakansha Chaturvedi, Amaira Kumar and Kahaan Patel – saying their families were being made to “beg for justice”. He alleged that no government representative had contacted them to express regret over the deaths of their children.
“I really don’t understand how people in power can be not just so indifferent, but so arrogant that they don’t even feel the need to reach out to families who have lost their children,” Dipke said.
“You can’t bring their children back, but the very least you can do is express regret and apologise to their families. Is that too much to ask?” he added.
Dipke also shared a video of his interaction with the father of NEET aspirant Kahaan Patel, who died by suicide on June 18. Patel’s father travelled from Gujarat to Jantar Mantar to voice his concerns with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Dipke claimed that police questioned tea vendor Aniket Patil, who invited him to his stall, and visited his home and warehouse to inquire about the source of the tea supplied to the protestors.
Questioning the action, Dipke asked whether selling tea had become a crime, noting that those bringing food and water to the protestors were similarly questioned.
He announced that he would bring roses and tea for the police personnel on Tuesday at 11.30 am and urged them to remember their duty as the country’s law enforcement.
Dipke also alleged that protestors had to hold a demonstration late Sunday night to demand a portable toilet facility for Wangchuk during his hunger strike. He pointed out that basic amenities, including water supply at public toilets in Jantar Mantar, are inadequate.
Wangchuk, whose hunger strike entered its second day, commended the way students and volunteers are organising the protest, describing it as an example of a peaceful democratic movement.
“The way students are running this protest, everyone is doing their part. This is a unique demonstration where everyone is contributing,” Wangchuk said.
