Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 1: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday met Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee in New Delhi and thanked her for extending support to the organisation's youth-led protests. The meeting came a day ahead of the INDIA bloc's November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan against alleged electoral irregularities and 'vote chori'.
However, Dipke clarified that although the CJP stood in solidarity with the opposition's protest, it would not participate in the rally, maintaining that the organisation wanted to preserve its independent and politically neutral identity.
Dipke said he had met Banerjee to express gratitude for her support during the CJP's first protest at Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leak issue. He also acknowledged her support when the organisation's leaders, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were arrested by the Delhi Police.
Speaking to reporters, Dipke said Banerjee had consistently stood by the youth movement, particularly during the arrests of the two activists.
Asked whether the CJP would participate in Sunday's rally, Dipke said the organisation supported the cause but would not formally associate itself with the opposition demonstration.
He emphasised that the CJP was an independent organisation and a neutral platform that intended to maintain its separate identity. He further said the fight against alleged electoral fraud was not limited to any single organisation and that the CJP would extend support to all groups raising their voices against vote theft, irrespective of their political affiliations.
Banerjee, who is in the national capital to attend Sunday's INDIA bloc rally, praised Dipke and the other young activists for their contribution to the protests against the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
She said the activists had extended full support to the upcoming rally and that her side had also extended support to their movement. Describing them as pioneers and founders of the movement, Banerjee acknowledged their efforts in sustaining the protests despite various difficulties.
Banerjee also expressed happiness over meeting the activists and invited Dipke and his associates to visit West Bengal and organise programmes there.
When asked whether the CJP would organise an event in Kolkata, she said the decision would be entirely theirs.
The meeting assumes significance as opposition parties are preparing for a major mobilisation at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on November 1, demanding accountability from the Election Commission over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the SIR exercise.
The rally is expected to bring together opposition leaders, youth groups, student organisations and civil society representatives. The INDIA bloc has also been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over its allegations concerning the electoral revision process.
The CJP has maintained that its campaign against alleged vote theft would continue independently, even as it extends solidarity to organisations and political groups raising similar concerns.