top of page

By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

Political row splits 110-day-old CJP

Mumbai: In an abrupt development, the 110-day old Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founded by Maharashtra’s Abhijeet Dipke has reportedly split with a Gujarat-based activist Manish Brahmbhatt announcing a rival ‘CJP-Democratic’ – amid political accusations hurled at each other. Announcing the new faction in New Delhi today, Brahmbhatt claimed that the original CJP which emerged from a movement built on the blood and sweat of people subsequently transformed itself solely into a handpicked team...

Political row splits 110-day-old CJP

Mumbai: In an abrupt development, the 110-day old Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founded by Maharashtra’s Abhijeet Dipke has reportedly split with a Gujarat-based activist Manish Brahmbhatt announcing a rival ‘CJP-Democratic’ – amid political accusations hurled at each other. Announcing the new faction in New Delhi today, Brahmbhatt claimed that the original CJP which emerged from a movement built on the blood and sweat of people subsequently transformed itself solely into a handpicked team for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “Their aim is to engage in political deals. They show no interest in fighting for the issues faced by students or people from other states; instead, acting merely at Kejriwal’s behest, they want to oppose the BJP only to support parties that are anti-BJP....,” declared Brahmbhatt. He asked why only a handful of people involved in the CJP are from the AAP though the movement had attracted people from all over the country and belonging to Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), RJD and others. “Not a single volunteer or protester from those groups is included here. They utilised women, yet there is no female face – besides a spokesperson. They exploited Muslims and Sikhs, who opened langars and Gurudwaras, but they have no representation. Even students are kept out though it was a students' movement fighting against exam paper leaks,” said Brahmbhatt in a no-holds-barred attack on Dipke. Strongly refuting the charges, Dipke denied that CJP is controlled or funded by any political party, or functioning as a ’B Team’ for any other political entity. “Maharashtra CM says I am Congress' 'B' team; some others claim I am AAPs 'B' team... Actually we are the 'A' team of the students. We remain independent, work as a pressure group and committed to grassroots students issues and education reforms,” said Dipke today. Unfazed, Brahmbhatt accused Dipke of forming a “12-member team right from his home” without taking into confidence any of the original activists or persons linked with the CJP in the past nearly four months. “Nobody associated with the movement was consulted or invited… What criteria were used for these (12-strong) appointments? Eight persons linked to the AAP plus his female friends and college buddies, are inducted,” alleged Brahmbhatt, justifying the launch of CJP-D intended to mobilise the collective strength of the younger masses. He said activists had demanded five representatives from every state to prevent any single individual from taking unilateral decisions or behaving like a ‘dictatorial king’, but “the proposal was rejected” with Kejriwal – who suggested the idea for such a team - now allegedly hijacking the movement. Despite repeated attempts by The Perfect Voice, Dipke was not available for comments on the matter. Launched on May 16, by a Abhijeet Dipke, 30, the CJP sought to turn the ‘cockroach’ label for unemployed and politically conscious youth into a symbol of dissent and protest, bringing together students angry over examination-paper leaks and wider concerns about the education system and youth opportunities. The online movement quickly snowballed into a mass pressure group and semi-political youth movement, drawing support and attention from sections of mainstream political parties and celebrities. At that time, Dipke had described it as ‘a new platform for all Cockroaches” – hogging global attention - but barely 110-days later, it was hit with a purported vertical split.

India working on logistics of Tahawwur Rana's extradition

  • PTI
  • Feb 14, 2025
  • 3 min read

Updated: Feb 18, 2025

Tahawwur Rana

Washington: India is working on the logistics of Tahawwur Rana's surrender and extradition from the US, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has said, as President Donald Trump announced that his administration has given the go-ahead to extradite the 26/11 terror attack accused “to face justice".

“This is an issue on which the US authorities have taken very clear decisions. I think you've seen the President announce it himself from the White House podium" the decision of the US to extradite Rana, Misri said at a press conference here on Thursday.


During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.


In response to a question by PTI on the timeframe by when Rana will be extradited to India, Misri said: "We are working on the logistics of his surrender and extradition to India. There are a few final steps to be completed. The two sides are in touch on this particular issue.”


The India-US joint statement issued during the Prime Minister's visit to the US notes that Modi and Trump reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world.

“They committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in order to prevent heinous acts like the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11 and the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021," the joint statement said.


“Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved," it said.


The leaders further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.

"The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors,” the joint statement added.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks.

Speaking at the joint press meet, Trump said "Today I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. So, he is going back to India to face justice."


The extradition of Rana was cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case.


India last month said it was working with American authorities for the early extradition of Rana.


"The US Supreme Court on January 21 declined to hear a petition from the accused. We are now working with the US side on procedural issues for early extradition to India of the accused in the Mumbai terror attack," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.


In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.

-PTI

Comments

bottom of page