Abhijeet Dipke challenges BJP leaders to reveal degrees after RTI query on foreign funding

NEW DELHI: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Monday challenged BJP leaders to make their educational qualifications public after an RTI query was filed seeking details of the funding for his studies abroad. In a video message shared on social media, Dipke said he was ready to disclose all documents related to his education. "I just saw that a BJP worker has filed an RTI against me. I want to ask them: will your leaders show their degrees? I am ready to show my scholarship documents and my educational records," he said. In a post on X, Dipke also wrote, "I am ready to reveal my scholarship letter & education loan letter. Will the emperor show his degree?" His remarks came after a Surat-based RTI activist sought an inquiry into the finances of Dipke's father, a retired Maharashtra government employee, questioning how he funded his son's education in the United States. Speaking to PTI, Dipke said there was nothing to hide and maintained that his education was funded through a scholarship and an education loan. "Those who wish to investigate my education funding are free to do so," he said. Dipke said he received a scholarship from Boston University and financed the remaining expenses through an education loan, which he is still repaying. "I received a scholarship from Boston University, and for the remaining amount, I took an education loan. It is still pending and has to be repaid. The fight is not personal," he said. The 30-year-old, who holds a Master of Science degree in Public Relations from Boston University, returned to India in June and led the Cockroach Janta Party's agitation over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. The protests eventually led to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister. Dipke also dismissed attempts to link the CJP protests with political movements in neighbouring countries. "Protests in Bangladesh, Nepal are being used to defame us; we are different," he said. He expressed hope that the Maharashtra government would withdraw police cases against students who participated in the protests. "Maharashtra has always led the nation through its progressive legacy. I hope the state government will not harass any student. They have done nothing wrong — they were only fighting for their future," he said.

The controversy began after Surat-based RTI activist Amit Tiwari filed complaints with the Election Commission of India, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), and the Maharashtra government. Tiwari sought an inquiry into the financial assets of Dipke's father and also questioned the legal status of the Cockroach Janta Party and a Rs 1 crore legal defence fund announced by senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal for CJP protesters facing police cases. He also urged authorities to examine whether the organisation should be registered as a political party under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.