New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) Following the detention of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) core leadership on Saturday, founder Abhijeet Dipke handed over the charge of the outfit’s protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, to CJP’s Organisation In-Charge Ajinkya Shinde.
Hours after the CJP chief, along with co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained from a flight at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi, Dipke’s X handle posted a video in which he is heard asking supporters to now follow Ajinkya Shinde’s leadership who will head the CJP’s protest in the absence of the conveners.
“If you are watching this video, it means that I, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have been arrested. In our absence, Ajinkya will lead the protest and the CJP movement. All those of you who are watching this video please follow Ajinkya Shinde. He will be carrying forward the Cockroach Janta Party after Ashutosh, me and Saurav,” Dipke said in the pre-recorded video.
Earlier, Delhi Police personnel entered the aircraft carrying Dipke after it landed at IGI Airport.
Dipke posted the video showing the Delhi Police team entering the flight as he, along with other CJP members, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were detained from the flight itself.
In a video posted on his social media handle, Dipke was heard telling the police, “…I have come here to be arrested; arrest me.”
The CJP announced the detentions in a post on its social media handle, stating: “Abhijeet Dipke DETAINED! Saurav Das DETAINED! Ashutosh Ranka DETAINED!”
Social media influencer Dhruv Rathee was also detained from his residence in Gurugram. According to a post on the X handle of the CJP, around 50 police personnel in plain clothes reached Rathee’s residence in Gurugram at around 8 a.m. and took him into custody.
Moreover, according to officials, around 1000 protesters have been detained from different parts of the national Capital on Saturday, while on their way to take part in the agitation called by the CJP to demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Meanwhile, Abhijeet Dipke’s grandmother passed away on Saturday in Santuk Pimpri village of Maharashtra’s Hingoli district.
She had been unwell for the past few days due to a prolonged illness and age-related ailments.
According to Delhi Police, Dipke has been informed about the unfortunate demise of his grandmother.
Officials said that it is now up to Dipke whether he wants to stay back to continue the protest under detention or return for the last rites.
–IANS
cg/rad