The Indian government has accused the satirical political group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) of allegedly receiving unauthorized foreign funding and maintaining connections with Pakistani political figures, triggering a political controversy over the group’s recent protests in the national capital.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh claimed that the organization and its associates were receiving financial support from foreign non-governmental organizations and networks allegedly seeking to destabilize India.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Singh alleged that authorities had gathered evidence linking CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and political strategist Ashutosh Ranka to overseas financial backers.
According to the minister, Dipke had received funding from donors based in the United States, while Ranka was allegedly paid by Pakistani politicians.
Singh further accused foreign-funded organizations and what he described as anti-India networks of supporting narratives intended to undermine the country.
However, the allegations have not been independently substantiated, and CJP representatives have strongly denied any involvement in illegal foreign funding.
CJP Rejects Allegations and Questions Government’s Claims
CJP leaders dismissed the accusations and challenged the government to explain why senior officials had previously engaged with the group’s representatives if they believed the organization was involved in unlawful activities.
CJP associate Saurav Das questioned the government’s allegations, pointing to earlier meetings between political leaders and members of the group.
Das accused authorities of avoiding substantive political issues and repeatedly raising allegations of foreign interference without providing satisfactory explanations.
He also referred to previous claims that several CJP-linked social media accounts were operating from Pakistan, arguing that the government had failed to adequately substantiate its accusations.
BJP Alleges Protests Were Intended to Create Unrest
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Tuhin A. Sinha accused the CJP of organizing demonstrations intended to provoke instability in New Delhi during the festive season.
Speaking to NDTV, Sinha claimed that the group’s activities over the previous month were part of a deliberate effort to encourage rebellion and disrupt public order.
He further alleged that the demonstrations were politically motivated and designed to damage India’s reputation.
The BJP spokesperson also drew comparisons between the CJP and the opposition Congress party, accusing both organizations of challenging the judiciary through politically charged demonstrations.
Sinha referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s march toward the Supreme Court during an ongoing hearing and criticized what he described as attempts to undermine judicial proceedings.
He argued that the timing and nature of the protests suggested an organized campaign to cast doubt on the functioning of India’s democratic institutions.
These claims remain political allegations, and no independently verified evidence of a coordinated campaign was presented in the report.
Delhi Police Summon CJP Representatives for Questioning
The controversy comes as the Delhi Police Crime Branch summoned CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka for questioning on Thursday, November 5.
Investigators are examining allegations that the two violated prohibitory orders, entered the Jantar Mantar protest site without authorization and trespassed on property belonging to another political organization.
The inquiry relates to events that occurred on October 13, when CJP members participated in demonstrations in the national capital.
Responding to the police summons, Ranka described the questioning as part of a routine investigation into the October 13 incident.
He said the organization would cooperate with investigators while maintaining that displaying the Indian national flag at Jantar Mantar or elsewhere was not a criminal act.
The dispute has intensified political tensions between the ruling BJP and the CJP, with government representatives alleging foreign interference and the satirical political group rejecting the accusations as politically motivated.
Authorities have not publicly established the alleged foreign funding links, and the outcome of the police investigation remains pending.
