Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Monday hit back at the RTI activist who questioned the funding of his studies abroad, saying his education was financed through a scholarship and an education loan.
"I am ready to share my scholarship and loan documents, but will your leader show his real degree?" he said in a video released on social media platform X.
A Surat-based RTI activist on Saturday said he had sought a probe into the finances of Dipke's father, a retired government employee who sent his son abroad for education.
I do not understand why these people are against education. Why can't they see someone from a simple household study in Boston, Dipke said.
Earlier speaking with PTI, Dipke said those who wish to investigate my education funding are free to do so. He also shared scholarship document with Barkha Dutta on MOJO. The document showed that Boston University awarded a Dean's Scholarship of $12,500 per semester for three semesters, amounting to $37,500 to Dipke.
"I received a scholarship from Boston University, and for the remaining amount, I took an education loan. It is still pending and has to be repaid. The fight is not personal," he said.
Dipke, who earned a Master of Science degree in Public Relations from the College of Communication at Boston University, returned to India 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.
CJP's next move
The movement, which received an enthusiastic response from Gen Z across the country, led to Pradhan's resignation last week.
I am ready to share my scholarship and loan documents, if your leader shows his real degree.
Earlier, the CJP announced on Monday that its core team will convene for a two-day strategy meeting in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar beginning 5 August.
The session will bring together CJP's founder, spokespersons, and organisational leadership to discuss and contemplate the next steps for the youth movement.
