Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was allegedly assaulted during a protest in Jaipur on Monday, despite repeatedly advocating for non-violent demonstrations by his movement.
The incident took place at Shaheed Smarak, where the CJP held a protest over alleged paper leaks, irregularities in competitive exams, and unemployment. The party had earlier warned of nationwide demonstrations demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over issues related to NEET and other exam controversies.
Videos from the protest show Dipke being carried on the shoulders of supporters when a man suddenly pulled him by a cloth around his neck. Moments later, at least two individuals are seen slapping and hitting him before being pushed away by supporters.
Following the incident, Dipke took to social media platform X, stating that the movement would continue its peaceful protests. He described the attack as a sign of “fear and cowardice” and reiterated his commitment to non-violence, invoking the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar. He also renewed his demand for the Education Minister’s resignation.
Meanwhile, police said six people have been detained in connection with the incident and are currently being questioned at Vidhayakpuri police station. Officials added that the identities and motives of those involved are still under investigation.
Authorities also noted that the CJP initially did not receive permission for the protest, but conditional approval was granted later, limiting participation to 800 people.
An investigation into the sequence of events is ongoing.
