Kiren Rijiju Accuses AAP of Hijacking Student Protests at Jantar Mantar

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday targeted Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke, alleging that he is an Aam Aadmi Party worker attempting to portray himself as a student leader amid youth-led protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Rijiju stated that while the concerns raised by protesting students are genuine, the Aam Aadmi Party has attempted to hijack the movement for its own political interests. He emphasized that student activism must not be confused with political opportunism.

"The students' concerns are valid, but the attempt by the Aam Aadmi Party and others to hijack the situation is not right. Abhijeet Dipke is from Maharashtra, but he is an Aam Aadmi Party worker. How did he become a 'student'?" Rijiju said.

The minister added that the central government remains open to engaging directly with students regarding their demands, but accused opposition parties of exploiting youth movements following electoral setbacks. He remarked that political parties should not grind their own political axes by hiding behind students.

Addressing perceptions regarding the Bharatiya Janata Party's relationship with Gen Z, Rijiju rejected claims that the party is out of touch with younger demographics. He noted that traditional Asian cultural norms encourage youth to listen to elders, requiring continuous dialogue to bridge generational differences rather than outside political provocation.

Dipke previously worked with the AAP before launching the satirical Cockroach Janta Party, a movement formed following remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a Supreme Court hearing. Social media posts from Dipke dating between 2021 and 2024 showing support for the AAP have drawn scrutiny regarding his political affiliations.

The Cockroach Janta Party has stated that it functions strictly as a pressure group rather than a political party, and is currently running a 'School Thik Karo' campaign focused on rural government schools. Earlier protests organised by the group between June and July culminated in the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and drew backing from political parties including the AAP and the Samajwadi Party.