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'Leave the chair, become an influencer': CJP's Abhijeet Dipke takes swipe at PM Modi; questions anti-paper leak bill
On the anti-paper leak bill passed in the Lok Sabha, Abhijeet Dipke said laws would not solve the problem without proper implementation.
Narendra Modi should quit the Prime Minister's post and “become an influencer”, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has said. He took a swipe at the PM over his Instagram videos, where he was seen addressing the youth.
“I think [PM Modi] should become an influencer. He is doing very well at that,” Dipke told reporters at his hometown in Maharashtra on Wednesday. “If he is such a good influencer, then he should leave the Prime Minister's chair, become an influencer, and let someone else do the job.”
On Tuesday, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi also commented on PM Modi's Instagram videos, saying social media content alone would not win over young voters. “You can't get Gen Z's support by making videos from new angles. The PM has to change the angle of his heart, not the camera angle,” she said in Parliament.
Dipke on anti-paper leak bill
Commenting on the anti-paper leak bill passed in the Lok Sabha, Dipke said legislation alone would not solve the problem unless it was implemented effectively.
“I think bills will keep coming, but until the intentions of these people are right, nothing can happen. Many good laws have been made in this country through reforms. One law after another gets passed here,” he told PTI.
He also referred to the PM's proposed fast-track court for paper leak cases. “Narendra Modi had promised a fast-track court three days ago, and people were very happy, thinking there would be a fast-track court for paper leak cases. But what happened?”
“The very first hearing itself was postponed because the CBI's counsel did not show up. So you can make whatever laws you want, but until the people implementing them are good, what is the point of those laws?” Dipke said.
July 20 protest and FIR row
On July 20, thousands of students, led by the CJP, marched towards Parliament to protest irregularities in the examination system. They demanded the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET paper leaks and student suicides. Pradhan resigned five days later.
The demonstration, though, saw a police crackdown, with several students detained and FIRs registered against protesters.
The agitation ended on July 25 after the government agreed to several demands, including withdrawal of FIRs against protesters, compensation for affected families and discussions on education reforms.
According to the CJP, the government had assured that all FIRs registered against protesters and organisers across the country would be withdrawn, no fresh cases would be filed against participating students, and a written guarantee would be provided.
'Students will respond through votes'
CJP leaders now allege that students have continued to be detained and. They have accused authorities of "targeting" and "witch-hunting" students despite the agreement and have also criticised a recent Supreme Court interim order allowing investigations into existing FIRs to continue, saying it contradicted the government's earlier assurances.
“If they do not withdraw the FIRs and continue to harass students like this, we will launch another protest. This government should understand that the anger of students has not reduced,” Dipke said Wednesday.
“If they think that the anger will cool down just by taking the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, that is not true. People are extremely angry, and if needed, this protest will happen again. And the next protest will be even bigger than the previous one.”
Referring to reports of police action during the protests, Dipke said videos of the lathi-charge and alleged use of pellet guns were continuing to surface.
“Every student's household has four votes. Narendra Modi understands only the language of votes. [Home minister] Amit Shah also understands only the language of votes. So I want to explain it to them in the language of votes,” he said.
“If a pellet gun is fired at one student, if one student is lathi-charged, there are four votes in that student's home. Those votes will be reduced for you. There is still time, correct yourselves. Otherwise, in the elections, the students will set you right.”
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Kangana Ranaut a ‘part-time’ politician: CJP
Responding to BJP MP Kangana Ranaut's remarks calling Gen Z a "gutter generation", Dipke declined to engage directly.
“When was the last time Kangana Ranaut was seen in Parliament? If serious politicians react, you can tell me. I do not comment on part-time politicians,” he said.
