Abhijeet Dipke is currently on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar (Image/PTI)
NEW DELHI: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday called on supporters to hold a night-long vigil at Jantar Mantar ahead of the outfit’s proposed ‘Chalo Sansad’ march to Parliament on Monday.Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife said he would end his hunger strike if political leaders assured him that the issue of education accountability would be raised during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.The appeal came as Jantar Mantar witnessed a surge in the number of protesters a day before the Monsoon Session of Parliament, with supporters from different parts of the country gathering at the protest site. Addressing supporters through a video message, Dipke urged them to remain at the protest site through the night to ensure the planned march proceeded peacefully.”Our protest is going on. Please come here in large numbers. Stay here for the night. If you don’t come, they will try to end the protest,” he said.Appealing for restraint, Dipke added, “Our protest and march will be peaceful. I request everyone to follow the rules and follow the guidelines.” He also said Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was continuing from Safdarjung Hospital despite his removal from the protest site by police on Saturday. “As you saw, they took away Sonam sir forcefully, but his hunger strike is continuing in the hospital,” Dipke said.According to CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das, nearly 20,000 people were ‘at and around Jantar Mantar’ even before the scheduled mobilisation.In a post on X, Das said, “20,000 people are at and around Jantar Mantar. And it’s not even July 20 yet. Dharmendra Pradhan — your day of reckoning is here.”The protest also received support from several political leaders and public figures. Actors Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj visited Jantar Mantar during the day, joining Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat and AAP leader Manish Sisodia in expressing solidarity with the agitation.In a significant announcement, Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, told supporters that the activist was prepared to end his fast if political leaders visited him in hospital and assured him that the issue of education accountability would be raised during the Monsoon Session.”If political leaders meet Sonam in the hospital and assure him that they will raise the issue of education accountability during the Parliament session, he will end his hunger strike tomorrow,” Angmo said.She also conveyed Wangchuk’s message to supporters ahead of Monday’s march.”Sonam has requested all of us to take tomorrow’s march peacefully and ensure that this protest is not misused,” she said. Angmo further alleged that the family had lost faith in Safdarjung Hospital and had approached the Delhi high court seeking permission to shift Wangchuk to a private hospital. She claimed the hospital had neither discharged him nor allowed the transfer despite repeated requests and alleged that he was effectively under ‘illegal detention’ because of the heavy police presence.Earlier in the day, Wangchuk issued a message from Safdarjung Hospital through Angmo, describing Monday’s mobilisation as ‘India’s second freedom movement’ and calling for ‘freedom from injustice’ over the alleged NEET paper leak and ‘freedom from fear’ over what he termed his ‘illegal detention’. He appealed to people to make the Parliament march a success.The CJP also expressed concern over possible police action ahead of the march. In posts on X, the outfit urged supporters to reach Jantar Mantar immediately, claimed tear-gas equipment had been brought to the area and alleged that anti-social elements could attempt to infiltrate the gathering to provoke disturbances. It appealed to protesters not to respond to any provocation and to keep the march peaceful.Following Wangchuk’s removal from the protest site early on Saturday, Dipke began his own indefinite hunger strike. Entering its second day on Sunday, he said he had now understood the physical toll of a prolonged fast and appealed to people to strengthen the movement by joining Monday’s Parliament march in large numbers.The CJP has been protesting at Jantar Mantar since June 20, demanding the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, reforms in the examination system and justice for affected students.Meanwhile, Delhi Police has clarified that no permission has been sought or granted for the proposed march to Parliament. It said prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) are in force in the New Delhi district, prohibiting protest marches, processions and assemblies of five or more people except at the designated protest site at Jantar Mantar with prior permission.The police said strict security arrangements have been put in place for the Monsoon Session of Parliament and warned that anyone violating the prohibitory orders would face action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other applicable provisions of law. It also appealed to citizens to refrain from participating in any unauthorised gathering or march and cooperate in maintaining public peace and security. Go to Source
