Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke responded to an Instagram video posted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the students who had abused him, questioning whether the Prime Minister's message was "only for the camera."
In the video, PM Modi said he was forgiving students who hurled abuses at him and his late mother during the Jantar Mantar protest, saying they were “misguided” and deserve guidance rather than punishment. Dipke commented on the video, asking whether the government would also withdrawn cases against the student protesters.
“Sirf reel par hi maaf karoge ya cases bhi vapas loge? (Will you forgive them only in a reel/on camera, or will you also withdraw the cases)” Dipke asked.
The Prime Minister's video came on the same day a girl was booked for allegedly using abusive and objectionable language against him during the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar on July 23. The girl, who was identified as a 25-year-old in the FIR, has reportedly apologised for her remarks in a video message, wherein she said she was just 15.
“I came under the influence of some people at the protest and said a lot of bad things against the Prime Minister,” she said, according to NDTV, India Today and several other media outlets.
{{/usCountry}}“I came under the influence of some people at the protest and said a lot of bad things against the Prime Minister,” she said, according to NDTV, India Today and several other media outlets.
{{/usCountry}}In the video, she said the incident was her “first and last mistake”, and extended an apology to the entire country. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
‘Let’s guide the misguided': PM Modi
In his video on his official Instagram account, PM Modi said the language used by some protesters “would not suit any civilised society”, but urged people to help reform those students. “Abuses never solve anything. Let’s guide the misguided. Let’s work together. Let’s work for Bharat,” the caption for the video said.
PM Modi said “some mischievous children” had directed abuses towards him and his late mother. The Prime Minister said that while society's anger was understandable, particularly over the language allegedly used by young women, the focus should be on showing them the right path rather than pushing them into legal battles.
The Prime Minister said he wanted to forgive the students and urged society to do the same. “These are misguided children, and showing them the way is our duty; we will not be able to change circumstances by punishing them, making them run around the courts, or harassing them in society,” PM Modi said.
‘When will cases be registered against BJP IT cell people?’: Dipke
Reacting to the FIR against the a woman for allegedly using abusive language against PM Modi, CJP convenor Dipke questioned whether there were “two laws” in the country. In a video shared by CJP on X, Dipke asked why similar action had not been taken in other cases.
“If you are registering cases for abusing, when will cases be registered against those BJP IT cell people who have been using abusive language for women online for years?” Dipke said. In the video, Dipke further cited alleged remarks by BJP leaders in the past.
“Their Member of Parliament, Ramesh Bidhuri ji, what words did he use for a fellow Member of Parliament, everyone remembers that,” he said. He further added, “The CM of UP... even had a video, where he had abused a camera person. So, what is going on? Are there two laws in this country?”