ISLAMABAD: India's Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has said he has no plans to enter electoral politics, arguing that citizens should not have to contest elections to demand their basic rights, Indian media reported.
Speaking at a press conference in Nagpur ahead of a nationwide protest campaign, Dipke rejected suggestions that the CJP would seek electoral office, saying democratic rights should be accessible to all citizens regardless of whether they run for public office.
“Why should we contest elections?” Dipke said when asked about the group's political future, according to the Times of India. He argued that requiring people to run for office to have their concerns heard would undermine the purpose of democratic participation.
The remarks came as the CJP intensified its campaign over alleged irregularities surrounding the NEET-UG examination process and renewed demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Hundreds of students and young supporters gathered at Nagpur's Samvidhan Square for a demonstration organized by the group.
Dipke also criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the government had failed to adequately engage with students affected by examination controversies. He called on the prime minister to address the concerns of students and families impacted by the NEET-UG crisis.
He posted on X that Modi tweets about the whole world, so many children in the country have committed suicide—shouldn't he tweet something for them too?
"Now we don't want to hear his Mann Ki Baat, now he should hear the Mann Ki Baat of the students”, he further added.
Emphasizing that CJP's nationwide agitations will not cease until Pradhan steps down, Dipke said the movement belongs to the country's youth.
