CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke slapped during Jaipur protest; two detained

Police detain two youths in connection with the incident; Dipke’s supporters catch hold of the accused and assault them before police intervene

Updated - June 19, 2026 01:07 pm IST - Jaipur

By The Hindu Bureau

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was allegedly manhandled and slapped by several individuals during a protest in Jaipur on Monday, triggering chaos and a brief struggle at the venue. Police have detained two youths in connection with the incident.

The incident occurred as supporters were carrying Mr. Dipke on their shoulders. The demonstration, attended by a large number of youths, was organised at Shaheed Smarak to protest over the alleged NEET paper leak, unemployment, and corruption.

Attack and Response

When Mr. Dipke arrived at the protest site and was being carried on supporters’ shoulders, some miscreants in the crowd allegedly manhandled him, slapped him multiple times, and attempted to pull him down. Mr. Dipke’s supporters caught hold of the accused and assaulted them before police intervened.

‘A Sign of Fear’

As tempers ran high during the chaos, Mr. Dipke attempted to calm the situation and appealed to protesters not to assault the individuals involved in the attack. The CJP founder said physical attacks were a sign of “fear and cowardice.”

“I am a follower of Gandhi and Ambedkar, and I will keep fighting this battle with peace and love.”

In a video message released on his X account, Mr. Dipke urged his supporters not to get distracted from the demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. He said the attack was a tactic to threaten the CJP and divert attention from the real issues, adding:

“To the haters, I want to say ‘get well soon’!”

Protest Demands

During the protest, youths carried banners and placards and raised slogans demanding Mr. Pradhan’s resignation over alleged irregularities in major examinations such as NEET, CBSE, CUET, and SSC.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Dipke criticised the handling of education-related issues and questioned remarks by a Rajasthan Minister who had described the NEET paper leak as “no big deal.” He also cited the collapse of a government school building in Jhalawar last year, in which seven students were killed.

Police Permission

The police had initially refused permission for the demonstration, citing the law and order situation, but later granted conditional approval. The event was allowed with restrictions, including:

• A limit on the number of participants to 800
• Compliance with noise pollution rules
• No rally from the venue

Published - June 15, 2026 06:38 pm IST