CJP accuses BJP of sending 'outsiders' to disrupt Jantar Mantar protest, 16 Delhi Metro stations shut
The Cockroach Janta Party alleged outsiders were sent to disrupt their protest, as 16 Delhi Metro stations shut due to security concerns amid rising demonstrators.
The Cockroach Janta Party alleged outsiders were sent to disrupt their protest, as 16 Delhi Metro stations shut due to security concerns amid rising demonstrators.
The Cockroach Janta Party alleged outsiders were sent to disrupt their protest, as 16 Delhi Metro stations shut due to security concerns amid rising demonstrators.
New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday alleged that "outsiders" were being sent to disrupt its ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar, even as 16 Delhi Metro stations were shut due to security concerns amid a surge in the number of demonstrators.
Addressing reporters at the protest site, CJP founder and president Abhijeet Dipke accused the BJP of attempting to incite violence and discredit the agitation.
"People are being sent from outside to deliberately disrupt the protest. We have been sitting here for a month, and no such incident has happened. But now, as the protest has grown, BJP goons are being sent to incite people," Dipke alleged.
He further claimed that stones were being brought to the protest site and used by those he alleged were BJP supporters to provoke clashes. The BJP has not responded to the allegations.
The protest at Jantar Mantar has entered its second month, with demonstrators demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system, the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide in connection with the paper leak controversy.
On Thursday morning, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced the closure of 16 Metro stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Mandi House, ITO and Khan Market, until further instructions, citing security reasons. Interchange facilities remain available at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House and Central Secretariat stations.
The latest developments come days after the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march, during which the Delhi Police used tear gas and baton charges to stop protesters from marching towards Parliament. The CJP has accused the police of using excessive force, while the Delhi Police has maintained that action was taken after protesters attempted to breach security arrangements.
On Wednesday, the CJP also alleged that internet services had been shut down around Jantar Mantar, raising concerns over a possible fresh police crackdown. In a post on X, Dipke questioned whether the government was preparing for another crackdown and appealed to police and paramilitary personnel not to use force against peaceful demonstrators.
Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk, who joined the agitation on June 28 and has been on an indefinite hunger strike, has said he would end his fast if the Centre assured that no punitive action or FIRs would be initiated against students and youth who participated in the protest. Wangchuk is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Gurugram after being shifted from Safdarjung Hospital following a Delhi High Court order.