CJP Alleges Police Brutality During Parliament March, Delhi Police Denies Claims

NEW DELHI: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the pressure group leading the ongoing protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, on Tuesday levelled serious allegations of police brutality during its march to Parliament a day earlier, claiming that several protesters, including well-known public figures, were assaulted. The internet-sensation-turned-pressure group alleged that actors Prakash Raj and Shabana Azmi, along with Sonam Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, were inside a truck that was "brutally attacked" by the police. In a post on X, the CJP's official handle said, "CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke, Gitanjali ji (Sonam sir’s wife), actors Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj were all in this truck which the Police brutally attacked. They dragged one protester who was helping to navigate and chased him to beat him up. The Police thought we will get scared - but they are wrong! Ladenge jeetenge!"

Adding to the allegations, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka claimed that Gitanjali, wife of educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk, was dragged out of the vehicle by her hair during the police action. Recounting Monday's protest, Ranka said, "It was just the Police who used lathis. Our youths were beaten up, their heads cracked open, they were dragged on streets. Sonam sir's wife Gitanjali ma'am's hair was pulled in order to drag her out of truck...Ribs of one of our volunteers was shattered. We had never expected or seen such brutality. Delhi Police crossed all limits yesterday. Clearly, they were given instructions to beat up people. But this will further expand the protest. More number of people will come to Delhi. We will not move from here until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns." Ranka also expressed disappointment over the outcome of Monday's meeting with the government, saying, "We did not receive any response. 5 hours were wasted. If the Govt wants to talk to us, they will now have to come here."

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police rejected the allegations, saying the claims made by the CJP were false and misleading. In a statement, the Delhi Police said, "False information is being currently circulated on social media regarding the posts claim that an individual named Geetanjali, a 12-year-old girl was assaulted, had her hair pulled, sustained a head injury, and approximately 40 to 50 other individuals suffered broken heads. This information is false. The claims being circulated in the posts are not true..." However, in a first formal engagement with the Centre since the protest began, CJP representatives met Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Monday. Following the meeting, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka claimed that Nadda had sought more time to consult the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership on the group's demands before responding.