Speaking to the media in his native Santuk Pimpri village in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district, where he was attending the asthi visarjan of his late grandmother, Savitribai Dipke, Dipke stated that if police intercept him en route to Delhi, he will start the agitation wherever he is detained. He added that he intends to reach the national capital on Wednesday to join CJP’s ongoing demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The political tension follows Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar de-notifying Jantar Mantar Road as an official protest site on Monday. The order designated Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground as the new venues for large gatherings. On Tuesday morning, CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained after scaling a gate and unfurling the national flag at Jantar Mantar despite heavy police presence and barricades.
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Following their detention, Dipke posted on X, “Cockroaches with the Tiranga sneaked into Jantar Mantar early this morning before they were picked up by Delhi Police.” Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added, “You cannot denotify the resistance,” alongside video footage showing party members scaling gates and shouting “Bharat Mata ki Jai” before police apprehended them.
Dipke asserted that the party’s push for the Chief Election Commissioner’s resignation would persist, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of trying to stifle democratic dissent.
“Narendra Modi has a problem with agitation and not the site of the agitation; he has a problem with the idea of people protesting and these are symptoms of a dictator,” Dipke alleged.”If they think the protest will stop if Jantar Mantar is denotified as a protest site, then the entire country will turn Jantar Mantar. Jantar Mantar is the spirit of every agitator,” he stated.
When asked where the demonstrations would take place, Dipke answered, “The entire nation will turn Jantar Mantar, and Delhi will turn Jantar Mantar.”
Defending his party colleagues, Dipke pointed out that team members were simply holding the national flag when detained. He remarked that if holding the flag is considered illegal, then those in power are “big anti-nationals.” He confirmed that CJP’s legal team plans to challenge the detentions in court.
Throughout the day, Dipke managed his political and personal commitments. Prior to his address, despite his family’s loss, he attended the funeral of an elderly Muslim neighbor in his village to console the grieving family. Later, to consult privately with his legal team away from his family residence, he moved to a vehicle parked on a nearby farm in Kundkar Pimpri village.
