Anita Dipke, mother of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, has revealed that unknown persons threatened her son to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or face severe consequences.
Speaking during an interaction with a Marathi news channel, she disclosed that the family had been intimidated after the activist launched his political platform.
The digital movement materialized that led to the formation of the party launched after remarks from the Indian chief justice Surya Kant, who called the unemployed youth of India “cockroaches”. However, the movement soon transformed from an online parody into a prominent youth-led mobilization against examination irregularities and NEET-UG paper leaks.
Recalling the intimidation attempts, Anita Dipke said that it forced the family to leave their residence in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and spend 16 days in hiding at a relative’s house in the Konkan region.
Dipke was based in Boston, USA, when a video warning arrived demanding his political alignment under duress.
Recounting the family’s experience, Anita Dipke stated, “He told us that he is not afraid of such threats, but he was worried about our safety because we were not used to facing such situations.”
The political agitation eventually paralyzed administrative machinery in New Delhi, culminating in a 36-day protest at Jantar Mantar alongside activist Sonam Wangchuk. The movement successfully pressured the federal government, leading to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Although Dipke has returned home following medical recuperation from typhoid, the surfacing of the claims has reignited a debate on political coercion. Representatives from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have not yet issued formal clarifications addressing the allegations.
