Abhijit Deepke Accuses Amit Shah of Authorizing Police Violence Against Students
Allegations of Police Violence During 'Parliament Chalo' March
Abhijit Deepke, the founder of the Cockroach People's Party (Kozpa), claimed on Thursday that the order for police violence against students during the 'Parliament Chalo' march on July 20 likely came from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He demanded Shah's resignation in light of the police actions. Speaking to reporters at his residence in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Deepke expressed concerns that democracy in the country is under threat, with increasing scrutiny on the judiciary and the misuse of central investigative agencies to dismantle political parties.
Deepke had previously led protests in Delhi for a month regarding the NEET question paper leak. These protests concluded after the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the acceptance of all demands by the central government. He remarked, 'Questions are also being raised about the judiciary.'
Criticism of Government and New Education Minister
He pointed out how agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have been used to undermine parties such as Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Deepke emphasized that major institutions should uphold democracy rather than allow a dictatorship to emerge. 'To prevent this, not just the opposition, but the general public must unite,' he stated.
Deepke criticized the appointment of Prahlad Joshi as the new Education Minister, labeling him as 'peculiar.' He accused the government of supporting rapists, suggesting that the replacement of Pradhan with another 'peculiar' individual sends a troubling message about the country's values.
Response to Ramdev's Comments
When asked about yoga guru Ramdev's remarks that the 'Gen Z' protesters at Jantar Mantar have tarnished India's culture, Deepke quipped that Ramdev should focus on his business, Patanjali Ayurved. He defended Kozpa's protests against the NEET paper leak as constitutional, stating, 'We fought for our rights in a lawful manner. If protesting legally with images of Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar is considered a disgrace to culture, then we have done so.'
He advised Ramdev to pay attention to Patanjali, which has faced adverse comments from the Supreme Court in the past.
Support for Farmers and Police Accountability
Deepke expressed solidarity with farmers, stating that if they require Kozpa's support in their movements, the party will stand with them. 'Farmers also want a successful future for their children. They previously supported our movement,' he noted, emphasizing his own background from a farming family.
He insisted that the police force should operate according to the Constitution rather than following orders from the BJP. 'If they fail to do so, they should stand in front of the BJP headquarters wearing 'khaki shorts' and declare, 'I am also a watchman.' He added that if police fear being recorded by protesters, it indicates wrongdoing on their part.
Allegations Against Delhi Police
Deepke accused the Delhi police of orchestrating a plot by placing trucks filled with stones near the protest site at Jantar Mantar, later falsely claiming they were construction debris. 'I witnessed the trucks arriving around 5:30 AM on July 19 and 20,' he said, adding that he had questioned the police about it and posted about it on social media.
He asserted that this was part of a conspiracy to portray the protesting students as violent. Deepke mentioned that he had met with the local DCP, who claimed the truck was carrying debris from a construction site, suggesting that this could be part of a scheme involving BJP 'goons' and the Delhi police.