CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said his mother cried as he left home for Delhi ahead of the October 10 protest, seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.Dipke shared a post on Wednesday captioned “Mid-flight diaries,” in which he spoke about his parents’ concerns and the fear faced by those taking part in protests.“As I left home today, Mom cried as if I was heading to a war zone. She knows I’m going to Delhi from Bengaluru and that I won’t be home before the October 10 protest,” Dipke wrote.“I could see the fear in her eyes. And like always, I lied. I told her she was being paranoid, that she was worrying for no reason, that everything would be fine.”Dipke said he was “tired of seeing that fear” in his mother’s eyes and of reassuring her when he himself did not know what the coming days would bring.“But I’m tired of seeing that fear in my mother’s eyes. Tired of giving her assurances when even I don’t know what the next few days will bring,” he said.He also described his father’s silence as he leaves for the protest.“Tired of watching my dad stand there in complete silence, saying nothing, but somewhere wishing we could just go back to the life we had three months ago,” Dipke said.He said the anxiety was not limited to his own family.“And I know it’s not just my parents,” he wrote. “Every one of you who has chosen to speak up, step out of your homes and take to the streets probably knows this feeling.”“The worried calls. The constant messages asking where you are. The fear they try not to show because they know how much this means to you.”Dipke said those participating in the protests should know that they were not alone.“I just want you to know that you are not alone. None of us are. We are all in this together,” he said.He said he hoped for an India where parents would not have to fear for their children when they chose to protest.“And I hope we can build an India where, someday, when our own children take to the streets to raise their voices, we won’t have to fear for their lives the way our parents fear for ours today,” Dipke said.Addressing parents, he said: “And to all the parents, please don’t stop us today. We understand your fear. We know where it comes from. We know what we are putting you through.”“But we are tired of living in constant fear,” he said.
Dipke’s Instagram Post
Dipke alleges police pressure ahead of protest
Dipke on Tuesday accused the BJP-led central government of using ‘One Nation, One Election’ as a step towards what he described as “one nation, one political party”.Ahead of the October 10 agitation at Jantar Mantar, Dipke alleged that police in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district had issued notices to CJP activists and pressured them not to attend the planned protest.“One Nation, One Election is just a slogan. The actual intention of the ruling dispensation is to push the country toward ‘one nation, one political party’,” Dipke said.He alleged that the “true objective” behind one nation, one election was to “snatch away the voting rights guaranteed to citizens by Dr B R Ambedkar”.“This is not about one party or ideology, it is a fight for the survival of Indian democracy,” he said.Dipke said he had seen two notices issued by police in Chandrapur and alleged that similar notices had been issued in Rajasthan by the local CID to a person named Mukesh, warning him of legal action if he attended the October 10 protest.“I have said multiple times that the Maharashtra Police is the best police force in the country, and the Delhi Police should learn from them. But it is heart-breaking that the Chandrapur police served notices to CJP workers, asking them not to participate in the protest at Jantar Mantar,” he said.“They also asked CJP workers about the source of funds for travelling to Jantar Mantar,” Dipke said.“The police stated (in the notice) that the agitation is going to be “violent”. How do the police know so early that the agitation would be violent? Have they planned anything in advance?” he asked.“Why is the Maharashtra Police behaving like Delhi Police? What do they have to do if a person is going to Delhi from Chandrapur?” he said.
‘Why is Fadnavis trying to be Yogi Adityanath 2.0?’
Targeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Dipke said he should be aware of the state’s legacy.“Why Devendra Fadnavis is trying to be UP CM Yogi Adityanath 2.0? He should know about the legacy of Maharashtra. He should not disrespect and misuse the Maharashtra Police for political ambitions,” he said.“Instead of harassing our workers, they should arrest me…If they want they should put me behind the bars and charge me with UAPA, NSA. They should not harass our workers,” Dipke said.He also criticised police directions to CJP activists against posting anything on social media that could lead to violence.“We speak about (Mahatma) Gandhi and B R Ambedkar. Do they think it is violent?” he asked.Dipke alleged that Rahul Pawara, who is leading a protest by tribal students in Maharashtra, was also facing police harassment.“Yesterday, the Adivasi students led by Rahul Pawara faced repression in Mumbai and some students were beaten up. If the son of Ambani or an MP, MLA was protesting, would the police behave in such a manner?” he asked.He said Pawara was fighting for better education for tribal students.Dipke also said Maharashtra Police had once been compared with Scotland Yard because of its efficiency and urged the force to maintain that image.
Three demands over EC, SIR
On the MPSC agitation, Dipke said aspirants were demanding leak-proof examinations, accountability and action against those responsible for paper leaks.He also questioned the appointment of Vivek Bhimanwar as MPSC chairman by the Governor.“Why did the Governor appoint the Chief Minister’s friend as Chairman of MPSC?….I am very sorry to say this, but in this era, the Governor is merely a puppet of those who are sitting in the government,” Dipke said.He reiterated that the entire country would become Jantar Mantar if Gyanesh Kumar was not removed as CEC.“We have three demands. First is the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, along with that, he should be booked under criminal charges and the SIR should be stopped,” Dipke said.“The last demand is that the appointment of Election Commissioner should be done independently and neutrally,” he said.He added that the Election Commission should not be merely the “choice of Amit Shah and Narendra Modi.”
