‘My U.S. studies funded by scholarship, education loan’: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke

Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has been under scrutiny for the funding of his studies abroad. During an interview with PTI, Dipke emphasized that his education in the United States was partially funded through a scholarship and an education loan, which he has since repaid.

Dipke dismissed comparisons drawn by exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen between his protest in Delhi against examination irregularities and the 2024 upheaval that led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government. He stated, "Protests in Bangladesh, Nepal are being used to defame us; we are different."

When faced with an RTI query about his educational expenses, Dipke remained unfazed, stating that he was unbothered by the investigation. He clarified that he had faced no personal attacks so far, asserting that the motive behind any probe was unfounded.

Despite the controversy, Dipke expressed hope that the Maharashtra government would drop pending police complaints against the student agitators involved in the NEET-UG paper leak protest. He criticized the use of the law to target young protesters, urging the authorities to refrain from criminalizing the comments made by minors at the demonstration. Dipke also called for an expansion of the CJP team to continue fighting for affordable and accessible education in India.