Delhi Protest Live Updates: ‘CJP, INDIA bloc share same cause’, says Abhijeet Dipke

“We all have a common cause and are fighting against Gyanesh Kumar, who is rigging elections and helping Narendra Modi to stay in power", said CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke while addressing the press on Wednesday

by · The Indian Express · Join
Asked by the press about whether CJP was getting registered as a political party, Dipke said, “No, there is nothing like that.” (Photo: Screengrab/X/ANI/Enhanced using AI)

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday said the group would remain an independent pressure group, while asserting that it shared a common cause with the INDIA bloc in opposing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Responding to questions by the press in Nagpur, Maharashtra, that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was trying to project AISA President and student activist Neha Bora to counter the CJP, Dipke said, “We all have a common cause and are fighting against Gyanesh Kumar, who is rigging elections and helping Narendra Modi to stay in power. CJP is an independent pressure group and will always remain one. But that does not mean we are against the INDIA bloc. Our agitations and theirs are for a common cause.” Asked whether CJP was getting registered as a political party, Dipke said, “No, there is nothing like that.”

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CJP’s Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka get 5 days in Delhi Tihar jail, Ajinkya Shinde gets bail

CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have been sent to five days of judicial custody, while party member Ajinkya Shinde has been released on a personal bond of Rs 5000 on Wednesday for ‘sneaking’ into the denotified Jantar Mantar protest site on Tuesday morning, CJP’s legal head Ratna Singh said in a post on X.

Singh said all three faced the same grounds of arrest and alleged that the executive magistrate had a track record of penalising protesters and that the government is acting cowardly against the group. “Got to know that SEM has track record of punishing protesters. Coward Sarkar.”

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Delhi Police had placed Das, Ranka and Shinde under preventive arrest at Parliament Street police station. According to Singh, the arrests involved allegations of trespass, violation of a bond and obstruction of a public servant’s duty. She also alleged that the leaders were not allowed to meet their lawyers until late at night and were brought to the police station in a private van around 3 am.

Delhi Police told the Delhi High Court on Tuesday that Jantar Mantar had been denotified as a designated protest site following a Supreme Court order asking authorities to identify suitable alternatives.

Amit Shah accuses Rahul Gandhi of shielding ‘infiltrators’ for votes

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of shielding “ghuspaithiyas” (infiltrators) for vote-bank politics amid Opposition protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Shah urged Gandhi to introspect, alleging that he was dismissing the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP by attributing their electoral performance to SIR.

Defending the exercise, Shah said the Election Commission was responsible for ensuring voter eligibility and asked critics to approach the courts. Union Minister Piyush Goyal questioned the Opposition’s “vote chori” allegations, asking why it had not submitted evidence to the Supreme Court or the Election Commission.

FULL COVERAGE | Cockroach Janta Party’s anti-Gyanesh Kumar protest in Delhi

Rahul tells Opposition to be ready to mobilise within 24 hours

In a joint press conference of INDIA bloc leaders at Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s residence at 5, Sunehri Bagh Road in Delhi, Gandhi told Opposition leaders, student activists and civil society members to be ready to mobilise within 24 hours as the INDIA bloc vowed to continue its protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the SIR of electoral rolls.

Gandhi said political and public resistance would continue regardless of the role played by institutions, while Opposition leaders also decided to challenge the government’s move to revoke Jantar Mantar’s status as a designated protest site. The bloc agreed to decide its next course of action after the Supreme Court hears its petition seeking the CEC’s removal and the scrapping of the SIR exercise.

Delhi Police files 2 FIRs over INDIA bloc protest march

Delhi Police has registered two FIRs over Monday’s INDIA bloc protest march in Central Delhi, citing lack of permission and alleged damage to barricades using a truck. The march, led by Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Akhilesh Yadav, demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The FIRs were registered at Barakhamba Road and Tilak Marg police stations.

Delhi Police seeks extension of 273 CAPF companies till Oct 20

Delhi Police has asked the Home Ministry to extend the deployment of 273 CAPF companies in the capital till October 20, citing intelligence inputs about possible fresh protests by CJP activists and allied groups demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Police warned of potential law-and-order issues at Jantar Mantar and other key locations.

Live Updates
Oct 14, 2026 09:53 AM IST
‘Impose Emergency officially’: CJP chief Dipke challenges Centre

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday challenged the Centre to officially impose an Emergency if it wanted to curb dissent, questioning why it was making allegations without presenting evidence. Speaking in Nagpur, Maharashtra, he called on the government to use its investigative agencies to probe the allegations and take action based on evidence.

Responding to senior advocate and former Solicitor General Harish Salve’s allegations, Dipke asked him to share any evidence of foreign funding with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He claimed the government had not been able to establish that the CJP received foreign funds. Dipke said the party would decide its next course of action at a meeting after he reached Delhi.

- With PTI Inputs

Oct 14, 2026 09:34 AM IST
CJP will remain independent pressure group, not become party: Abhijeet Dipke

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday said the group would remain an independent pressure group, while asserting that it shared a common cause with the INDIA bloc in opposing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Speaking to the press in Nagpur, Maharashtra, Dipke said that Kumar was “rigging elections” and helping Prime Minister Narendra Modi remain in power.

Dipke said the CJP’s independent status did not mean it was opposed to the INDIA bloc, adding that both were agitating for a common cause. He also denied that the group was planning to register as a political party.

Oct 14, 2026 09:26 AM IST
CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka sent to 5-day judicial custody

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday said party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka had been sent to five days of judicial custody after their arrest in connection with the Jantar Mantar case.

In a post on X, Dipke claimed their “fault” was unfurling the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to officially declare an Emergency if the government was determined to “crush dissent”.

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