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CJP to act as a 'pressure group': Abhijeet Dipke shifts focus to E20 after NEET protest
Core members of Cockroach Janta Party are currently holding a meeting in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday shared the outfit's future plans, now that the big protest it led against the NEET-UG paper leak is over.
In a media interaction on Wednesday, Dipke named a host of issues, including concerns over government ethanol-blend fuel policy, rising unemployment, and the ongoing student protests in Jharkhand over alleged exam irregularities, as he revealed the CJP's future plans. Follow Jharkhand Students protest LIVE updates here.
Ruling out the possibility of entering politics, Dipke said that CJP will function as a “pressure group” for now and will focus on becoming a movement that can drive change.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the CJP's core team meeting in his hometown Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra, Dipke added that the group will also discuss issues like ethanol-blended fuel and rising unemployment.
‘Pressure group, not political party’
Dipke ruled out possibility of entering into politics saying that people have lost faith in political parties, saying that their youth movement will function as a "pressure group" for now, as that is what India needs at the moment. The core group meeting will also take up issues like ethanol-blended fuel and rising unemployment, he said.
Also Read: CJP protest: SC says youngsters need to be pacified, law enforcement must show restraint
"People have lost faith in the judiciary, politics, media and Election Commission. Our agitation received nationwide support. As the agitation grew, the support was not merely limited to education issues, it was also about these institutions. Hence, to bring accountability in these institutions, there is a need for a public pressure group," he said, news agency PTI reported.
The condition of political parties is "very bad". People vote for one side in the morning, but by evening a government is formed by someone else, he noted, adding, “For now, CJP will be a pressure group, as what India needs now is a pressure group.”
Party’s chief spokesperson Saurav Das also said that CJP will work as a grassroots-level movement and not a political party.
“There are already plenty of political parties. If people still have pain, suffering, and anguish, it means the answer is not a political party. The answer is a grassroots-level movement, an awakening. And that's what the CJP is doing,” he said.
Das further said that CJP will continue to push for withdrawal of FIRs against students who took part in the recent protests led by the CJP against the NEET paper leak and other exam irregularities.
"We are talking with government representatives on this issue," he said, according to PTI.
He added that they are working to provide legal and medical help to protesters injured in the recent students' agitations across the country.
Das also said that environmentalist and education activist Sonam Wangchuk will continue to be their mentor and they will seek advice from him.
Jharkhand protest
On being asked if the movement will support the ongoing protests in Jharkhand, Dipke said, “We will definitely go to Jharkhand, we will stand with them and support their every demand in the agitation.”
Students and job aspirants in Jharkhand have been on a sit-in protest since last month, with some of them also sitting on a hunger strike, alleging irregularities and paper leaks in recruitment exams. Protesters in Ranchi have alleged paper leaks and other irregularities in the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination.
CJP meet in Maharashtra
After a 37 day agitation over alleged NEET paper leak which led to the resignation of then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the core members of the group are currently holding a meeting in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
The meeting, being held on Wednesday and Thursday, is being attended by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, chief spokesperson Saurav Das, spokesperson Vaishnavi Gaur and other senior members of the organisation.
The CJP leadership said discussions would focus on reviewing the recent protest movement, expanding the organisation at the grassroots level and finalising its future roadmap.
