Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has thanked the organisers of a Ramlila event in Delhi for what he called “free publicity” after they announced plans to burn a 30-foot cockroach effigy alongside those of Ravan, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran.
“Thank you for the free publicity,” Dipke said in reaction to the announcement.
The Shree Keshav Ram Leela Committee, which organises the annual event in Pitampura, said the effigy was intended to symbolise filth and dirt and promote cleanliness under the Swachh Bharat and Swachh Delhi campaigns. Committee president and BJP MLA Ashok Goel maintained that the decision was not politically motivated, saying it was meant to convey the victory of good over evil while highlighting cleanliness.
CJP legal head Ratna Singh described the controversy as a “tamasha” (drama). The proposed effigy has triggered questions on social media, with some users questioning its appropriateness at a religious celebration and alleging that contemporary political developments were being mixed with the festival’s traditional significance.
The development comes amid protests by the CJP in the national capital. The group initially protested against former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before joining demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Meanwhile, Dipke has urged supporters to remain calm and not let hatred consume them following the imprisonment of CJP activists Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, stressing that the movement must continue on the path of peace, love and compassion.
In a video shared on X with the caption “Message to all cockroaches”, Dipke said the detentions had caused distress among supporters but warned them against abandoning their principles.
“We do not have to become what we hate. What is being done to them is wrong, completely unjust. But they want to divert us from the path of peace, love, and compassion that we chose,” he said, alleging that the activists were being harassed to provoke them into responding with hatred.
Dipke advised supporters to stay close to their families and loved ones during the difficult period. He also recounted speaking to the mothers of Das and Ranka, saying both families had urged the team to remain strong despite their sons’ imprisonment.
He said Das’s mother had reassured him that her son would be fine and asked the team to take care of themselves. Dipke praised Das for remaining resilient after spending six days in custody, recalling that protesters had previously joked about how long they might be able to endure prison.
Dipke said Das had once claimed he would not last even a day in jail. His conduct after spending nearly a week in custody, he added, challenged the perception that he was too privileged or soft to withstand the movement.
“Those who dismissed him as too soft and incapable of enduring a battle should look at him now,” Dipke said, describing Das as entering court with a smile and without fear.
He also credited Das and Ranka with playing a major role in carrying the movement forward, saying he had largely followed their instructions and relied on their judgement.
“To be completely honest, I was merely following their instructions. My role was simply to follow Ashu and Sourav's lead,” he said.
Dipke also said Ranka’s uncle had died while Ranka was in jail, preventing him from attending the funeral rites. Despite the bereavement, Ranka’s family had urged the team not to worry about him and expressed support for his fight, he added.
Appealing to supporters who felt disheartened, Dipke said the strength shown by the families had motivated him to continue and that the arrests would not intimidate the movement.
“Just because Sourav and Ashu have been jailed does not mean we will get scared. We will not be intimidated. Why should we be afraid? We are fighting for what is right; we are not doing anything wrong,” he said.
Earlier on Monday, Das and Ranka were taken back into judicial custody from Mandir Marg Police Station in Delhi after their surety was rejected over a reported mismatch in documents, their lawyers said. Ratna Singh, CJP’s head of legal affairs, criticised the proceedings, alleging that the activists’ liberty was being curtailed on vague grounds despite repeated attempts to complete the surety verification process.
“A mockery was going on in the Court. For the last six days, we have been saying that one or the other reason is being nitpicked,” Singh said, adding that the activists’ liberty had been curtailed.
On October 12, Delhi Police arrested Das, Ranka and others for allegedly trespassing at Jantar Mantar, which has been de-notified as a designated protest venue. Das and Ranka were subsequently sent to five days of judicial custody.
(With agency inputs from ANI and PTI)
