Dipke defends peaceful protest, questions restrictions on dissent (Img: IANS)
New Delhi: Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has defended his outfit’s proposed ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest in Delhi, rejecting allegations that the demonstration could disrupt business in Connaught Place and arguing that peaceful protests are not responsible for commercial losses.
His remarks came after the Delhi Kirana Committee and the Delhi Iron and Hardware Merchant Association approached the Supreme Court, expressing concerns that the proposed demonstration at Central Park in Connaught Place could affect trade worth Rs 200 crore a day.
In a post on X, Dipke argued that restrictions imposed by the authorities, rather than peaceful demonstrations, were responsible for disrupting business and affecting people’s livelihoods.
“Businesses do not suffer because of peaceful protests. They suffer when the govt decides to shut down an entire city, suspend internet services and restrict the movement of its own citizens and turn the city into a war-zone,” he said.
Dipke maintained that the CJP had followed the principles of non-violence since its formation, claiming that demonstrations organised by the party in Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Nagpur had remained peaceful.
He also referred to an alleged assault on him during a protest in Jaipur, saying he had chosen not to retaliate.
“I was personally assaulted in Jaipur, but even then, I chose not to retaliate because responding to violence with violence goes against everything we believe in,” Dipke wrote.
He said the party preferred to exercise its constitutional rights rather than resort to physical confrontation, adding that it would not abandon its commitment to non-violence despite what he described as provocation.
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Dipke also objected to attempts to portray the party as anarchist for organising protests and questioning the government. He argued that demonstrations against perceived injustice and demands for accountability were fundamental expressions of democracy.
“Demanding answers from the govt is not anarchy, protesting against injustice on the streets is not anarchy, and questioning those who hold public office is certainly not anarchy,” he said.
The CJP founder accused political parties of treating protests differently depending on whether they were in power or in opposition. He argued that restrictions on demonstrations should not depend on which party governs the country.
“We are not asking for privileges or special treatment. We are simply asking to exercise the rights that belong to every citizen of this Republic, irrespective of which party is in power,” Dipke said.
Emphasising the importance of public accountability, Dipke said an elected government had a responsibility to listen to citizens rather than silence criticism.
“A govt that has been elected by the people is bound to listen to the people, not silence them. Democracy does not end once the votes have been counted,” he wrote.
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The proposed ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march was announced amid controversy surrounding the arrest of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after they unfurled the national flag at Jantar Mantar, following the site’s denotification for protests.
The traders’ concerns have brought the potential economic impact of the planned demonstration into focus, while Dipke has maintained that peaceful protest remains a constitutional right.
