Why faces of CJP’s Jantar Mantar protest are ‘missing’ in Ranchi

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which recently spearheaded a significant student protest against exam paper leaks in Delhi, has largely stayed out of the Ranchi demonstrations calling for the same reforms. The CJP's prominent figures from the Delhi protests, including national convener Abhijeet Dipke and co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, have been conspicuously absent from the Ranchi protest.

This absence, the CJP claims, is strategic. Dipke had a video conversation with Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha leader Devendra Nath Mahato, who has been on a hunger strike, but chose not to travel to Ranchi, stating that Mahato was effectively leading the protest there already. The CJP's legal affairs lead, Ratna Singh, explained that the organization had been advocating for a leaderless movement and wants students to feel empowered and capable of organising their own protests without outside interference.

The CJP delegation, consisting of 25 members led by Mukesh Allrounder, did meet with Jharkhand students to understand their demands, but the presence of outsiders is not welcome according to some of the protesters.