Nagpur CJP Protest Highlights: Dipke meets family of NEET aspirant who died by suicide

Nagpur CJP Protest Highlights: The Cockroach Janta Party is staging a protest in Nagpur, Maharashtra, today, June 16, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the NEET UG paper leak scandal.

In anticipation of a massive turnout for the viral party, especially following an assault on its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, at the Jaipur protest, the Maharashtra police said they have stepped up security.

In a video message, Dipke asked Nagpur residents, including students and the youth, to gather at Samvidhan Square at 4 pm for a peaceful demonstration.

The CJP has been demanding Pradhan's resignation over the last month's NEET (UG) paper leak scandal, and reiterated that the nationwide protest will not stop until he resigns.

The police are expecting more than 2,000 youths to participate in the demonstration. Activists from Nagpur city and several districts of Vidarbha are expected to converge at the Samvidhan Chowk after appeals were circulated on social media.

CJP faces counter-protest by 'saffron' activists

A group of people wearing saffron dupattas (stoles) shouted slogans against the CJP and raised 'Jai Shri Ram' chants at the venue. They got into arguments with the protesters and asked them why they did not hit the streets earlier when exam papers were leaked.

The group claimed the CJP was misleading youths and some urban Naxals had entered the protest at Samvidhan Square and raised anti-RSS slogans. Workers donning the saffron dupattas verbally clashed with CJP supporters as both sides raised slogans against each other.

Dipke thanks Nagpur for ‘gathering in the largest numbers’

Abhijeet Dipke thanked Nagpur for gathering in the “largest numbers so far” amid the nationwide CJP protests.

“Thank you, Nagpur, for gathering in the largest numbers so far! Your support drives this fight for justice. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi & Babasaheb Ambedkar, our movement will continue through peaceful, non-violent protests,” he wrote in an X post. “Dharmendra Pradhan must resign!”

Thousands gather to protest in Nagpur

Dipke meets family of NEET aspirant who died by suicide in Nagpur

“Met the grieving family of Akanksha Chaturvedi, a NEET aspirant who tragically lost her life by suicide in Nagpur. Offered my deepest, heartfelt condolences to her family during this time of immense grief. We stand with them in their loss,” Dipke said in an X post.

Elaborate security arrangements in place

Police officials told PTI that elaborate security arrangements were made in view of the Cockroach Janata Party protest at Samvidhan Chowk.

Considering the expected crowd, police have stepped up security across key locations in Nagpur, an official said.

"We have made comprehensive arrangements to ensure that the protest is conducted peacefully. Adequate police personnel will be deployed at Samvidhan Chowk and other sensitive locations to maintain law and order," a senior officer said.

He said the security deployment includes four DCPs, three ACPs, 18 police inspectors, 45 APIs, and sub-inspectors, 470 male, and 170 female police personnel. Two Riot Control Platoon (RCP) units have also been kept on standby as a precautionary measure.

‘Right to protest peacefully, but…’

Police Commissioner Ravindrakumar Singal said the police are fully prepared to handle the situation.

"Everyone has the right to protest peacefully. However, any attempt to violate the law, create unrest, or disturb public peace will not be tolerated. Strict action will be taken against anyone found breaking the law," he said.

Traffic diversions

The traffic police have announced diversions on several major roads, including Samvidhan Chowk, Variety Chowk, Zero Mile, and Sitabuldi.

Motorists have been advised to use alternative routes and cooperate with the police.

The police have appealed to citizens and protesters to maintain peace and cooperate with authorities to ensure the event passes off without any untoward incident.

Dipke slams PM for 'not reaching out' to students

Dipke, in a press conference ahead of the CJP's protest in Nagpur, criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'not reaching out' to the country's students following the NEET-UG fiasco.

Dipke said Modi should first apologise to the parents of the five or six students who committed suicide (in the aftermath of the cancellation of the NEET-UG scheduled for May 3).

"Pradhan Mantri ji tweets if anything happens across the world, but here students of this country are committing suicide and there is not even a condolence tweet for them from the prime minister. How long you will talk about your 'Mann ki Baat' and 'Pariksha pe Charcha'? At least listen to students' Mann ki Baat," said Dipke.

CJP won't contest polls

During a press conference, Abhijeet Dipke indicated that his Cockroach Janta Party was not keen on contesting elections.

“Why should we contest elections? I mean, if everyone in this country has to contest elections to demand their rights...how will it work?” he said.

‘Same corrupt system keeps electoral bonds safe…’

“The same corrupt system keeps electoral bonds safe while leaking papers and ruining lakhs of student futures. Ministers don't care; their kids study abroad. They protect political funds but fail our honest, hardworking youth. The system is broken,” Dipke said.

Jaipur slapgate

Abhijeet Dipke was allegedly slapped multiple times by two men while supporters carried him on their shoulders during a protest in Jaipur, police said.

Two youths have been detained in connection with the incident.

‘If he had a job…’: Dipke

Abhijeet Dipke attributed the assault on him during a Jaipur protest to India's deepening unemployment crisis.

Speaking a day after the incident, Dipke reframed the attack in economic terms rather than political ones. "If the person had a good job, he wouldn't have resorted to such actions. I request the Govt, to provide better jobs to such people," he said.

The statement by Dipke is a notable shift from his initial characterisation of the assault, in which the CJP founder had described it as a deliberate act of intimidation. "This is a tactic by those who want to 'disrupt our movement'. But we cockroaches will not be intimidated by these tactics," he said in a video message posted to X shortly after the incident.