10 October,2026 01:54 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke. File Pic
During the CJP protest in Delhi on Saturday, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "scared of the youth" and accused the Centre of "waging a war against its own people" through what he described as emergency-like conditions.
Dipke was speaking to ANI in Mumbai before leaving for New Delhi to participate in the protest, which seeks the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over issues related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Questioning the security arrangements and restrictions ahead of the demonstration, Dipke alleged that the shutdown of transport services and the deployment of security personnel reflected the government's fear of public protests.
"Narendra Modi is a dictator. He is scared. Which is why he has shut down railways, metro, and all roads. If Narendra Modi is so afraid of the youth of this country, the people of this country, then why is he sitting on the Prime Minister's chair?" Dipke said, ANI reported.
He further alleged that the deployment of security personnel in Delhi was aimed at suppressing the protest.
"You brought the army from Jammu and Kashmir and deployed them in Delhi. You brought CRPF forces from Naxal areas and deployed them in Delhi. Are Narendra Modi and Amit Shah waging a war against their own country's people? Is Jignesh Mevani so dear to you that you have deployed your own police force and army force on your own country's people? Somewhere, this is Narendra Modi's fear. I don't know why Jignesh Mevani is so important for them that they want to wage a war on their own country's people," he told ANI.
Dipke also claimed that authorities were detaining people travelling to Delhi to prevent them from participating in the protest.
"They are catching people on trains in other parts of Mumbai; they are not letting them go. And in Delhi, they have shut down everything. This is fear, this is nothing but fear, this is Narendra Modi's fear. And he is afraid that the people of this country will not vote for him after this," he said.
Dipke alleged that police personnel were visiting residential areas to discourage people from joining the demonstration. He maintained that peaceful protest was a fundamental right.
"To save his power, he is picking up people from trains and making announcements in societies that no one should go to the protest. The Delhi Police is going to people's homes and saying no one should protest. Why shouldn't they go? Protesting is our fundamental right. Article 19 gives us the fundamental right to protest in a very democratic and peaceful manner, and that is what we are going to do," Dipke said, ANI reported.
Asked whether he feared being detained upon arriving in Delhi, the CJP activist said he was prepared to face arrest.
"If they want to detain or arrest me, they can do that. I am ready for it. They can arrest or detain me, it doesn't matter to me. Apply UAPA or NSA, apply it, but we will keep fighting for free and fair elections and to save this country's democracy," he said.
Security arrangements have been stepped up across the national capital ahead of the proposed demonstration. More than 35,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed amid heightened security measures. The Union Home Secretary has also directed states and Union Territories to maintain law and order.
(With ANI inputs)
