Abhijeet Dipke gets offer from NDA leader to join his party: ‘He is an Ambedkarite’
The Republican Party of India (Athawale), widely known as RPI (A), is an apolitical party rooted in the Dalit Buddhist movement and the vision of Dr BR Ambedkar. Headquartered in New Delhi, the party is led by Union Minister Ramdas Athawale
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has said that Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) convenor Abhijeet Dipke must join he Republican Party of India (Athawale) to fulfil Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's dream, strengthen society and the party.
The Republican Party of India (A) is part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.
Quick answers to key questions
Ramdas Athawale suggested that Abhijeet Dipke should join the Republican Party of India (Athawale) to help fulfill Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's dream and strengthen both society and the party.
Abhijeet Dipke stated that CJP would not transform into a political party but would rather serve as a pressure group, addressing the issues impacting trust in institutions.
Abhijeet Dipke launched the 'School Thik Karo' campaign, which aims to highlight issues in government schools and has begun initiatives to address infrastructure problems.
CJP's main goals include acting as a pressure group to advocate for societal reforms and improving government schools, rather than seeking political power.
Yes, Abhijeet Dipke suggested that government officials, including ministers, should enroll their children in government schools to demonstrate their trust in these institutions and improve their conditions.
“I think Abhijeet Dipke is an Ambedkarite. He is active and young. He should consider joining Republic Party of India (A),” Athwale was quoted as saying by news agencies in Nagpur on Monday, 17 August.
The Republican Party of India (Athawale), widely known as RPI (A), is an apolitical party rooted in the Dalit Buddhist movement and the vision of Dr BR Ambedkar. Headquartered in New Delhi, the party is led by Union Minister Ramdas Athawale.
What next for CJP?
Ramdas Athawale is the sole Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Republican Party of India (A) in India's Parliament. He is a Rajya Sabha MP representing Maharashtra and holds office as the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment.
Dipke had on 5 August said that CJP would not transfirm into a political party but wuld rather serve as a pressure group.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the CJP's core team meeting in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dipke said the discussions will focus on the dwindling trust of the people in institutions such as the media and the judiciary.
"For now, CJP will be a pressure group, as what India needs now is a pressure group," Dipke asserted.
Dipke returns to India in June
Dipke returned to India from the US in June to lead an agitation against the NEET-UG paper leak that saw youth from different parts of the country converge in Delhi to demand reforms and the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as the Union education minister.
On Tuesday, Dipke said the condition of government schools will “magically” improve if ministers enrol their children there. He said his suggestion and appeal was not just restricted to ministers, but everyone in the government's education department, including officials, principals and teachers.
“All those working in the education department, including Ministers, officials, principals and teachers, should enrol their own children in govt schools. Then watch how quickly our govt schools magically improve,” Dipke said in a tweet, expanding his outreach on a campaign seeking to bring reforms to government schools in India.
CJP is currently working on a 'School Thik Karo' campaign to highlight the issues present in government schools in villages. On Independence Day, August 15, Dipke conducted his first school audit at a government school in his native village of Santuk Pimpri in Hingoli district of Maharashtra.
(With ageny inputs)
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
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