CJP backs Jharkhand students' protest, says 'We don't want credit'; Abhijeet Dipke plans visit

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday extended full support to the ongoing students' protest in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, saying the party's delegation had already reached the protest site to assist demonstrators and insisting that students—not political organisations—should lead the movement.

Speaking to ANI, Dipke said the CJP was standing firmly with the protesters and had already sent a team to the agitation site.

"We offer our full support. Our delegation has visited the area, and our people are distributing food there. We stand firmly with them and support all their demands," he said.

The protest entered its 14th day on Friday, with several demonstrators continuing an indefinite hunger strike.

Dipke says he plans to visit

Dipke said he intended to visit the protest site himself but was currently dealing with health issues.

"I, too, intend to go. Although, I am currently dealing with some health issues. Many students are stepping forward to protest. I believe they are leaders in their own right and deserve visibility. It isn't necessary for Abhijit to be at the forefront everywhere. They are doing the work, too, and deserve equal recognition," he said.

He stressed that the party did not want to claim ownership of the agitation.

"We don't want the credit to go solely to CJP. We want students to step up and protest themselves. We want them to fight for their rights and for the country's education system," Dipke added.

Students' demands

The students and job aspirants are demanding the cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Civil Services Examination and an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities, either by the CBI or by a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state, Hindustan Times reported.

They are also seeking structural reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).

An 11-member delegation of protesters has been formed to hold talks with the Jharkhand government after Chief Minister Hemant Soren said his government was open to dialogue. However, the protesters have alleged that they are yet to receive a formal invitation for discussions.

Backs Bhagwat's remarks on protests

Dipke also welcomed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's recent remarks defending Gen Z protests and cautioning against branding young protesters as anti-national.

Responding to Bhagwat's comments, Dipke had earlier posted on X: "To whom it may concern…", a remark widely seen as aimed at critics who questioned last month's nationwide protests over the NEET-UG paper leak.

Speaking to ANI, he also supported Bhagwat's call for action against misinformation on social media.

"If the highest number of fake videos originate from anywhere, it is from the IT cell. So, I want Mohan Bhagwat's point to be accepted, that investigations should be conducted to determine which videos are genuine and which are fake," he said.

CJP expands organisation

The remarks come a day after the CJP announced that it would continue to function as a public pressure group rather than transform into a political party.

The organisation also announced its first National Working Committee, appointing Dipke as national convener and announcing plans to establish state, Lok Sabha and city-level coordination units across the country over the next six months.