Guwahati: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Sunday demanded the immediate release of its co-convenor and spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka and other party volunteers detained by Assam Police ahead of a scheduled regional volunteers’ meet-up in Guwahati.
More than 40 CJP workers, including members of the party’s central committee, were detained before the meeting could be held. At least 20 other volunteers who had arrived in Dispur to attend the meet-up were also detained.
The meeting was initially scheduled for 10 am at Assam Shree Parshuram Seva Sadan on Kharga Choudhury Road in Athgaon. Organisers later shifted the venue to Chowdhury Tilla, opposite the Assam Secretariat, alleging pressure on the original venue.
Ranka, who had arrived in Guwahati ahead of the meeting, alleged that CJP members were gathered peacefully on private property when police began detaining them. He further alleged that the authorities were attempting to prevent the party from raising issues related to government schools, the devastating ‘man-made’ floods witnessed in Upper Assam this monsoon and other public concerns in Assam.
“Why is Himanta Biswa Sarma afraid of people seeing the actual condition of schools in Assam? He knows the situation would become known across the country. He is also afraid of what is happening to people’s rights in Kaziranga, where land, forests and water are being taken away and handed over to corporates,” Ranka said from inside the police vehicle while being detained.
The CJP sought clarification from the authorities on the grounds for the detentions and demanded the immediate release of Ranka and the other detained volunteers.
A press conference was subsequently held at 12:45 pm at Chowdhury Tilla. It was addressed by Anish Gawande, national spokesperson of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP), along with CJP leader Saifur Rehman and Paresh Malakar, coordinator Asom Nagarik Sanmilan, a civil society group.
The speakers discussed the detentions of Ranka and other CJP volunteers, the disruption of the scheduled meeting and the circumstances surrounding the change of venue.
CJP founder and national convenor Abhijeet Dipke confirmed the detentions and said he would travel to Assam amid the developments. Dipke alleged that Ranka and other party members had been detained without being given reasons.
He said he would come to Assam with a CJP team to decide the organisation’s further course of action if Ranka and the other detained members were not released.
As of the latest available information, Assam Police had not issued a detailed public statement explaining the detentions.
The CJP said it would hold another press conference at 5:30 pm on Sunday if Ranka and the other volunteers are not released, and announce its further course of action in consultation with party members and supporters.
The party also said the detentions would not affect its planned grassroots activities or its efforts to raise issues concerning government schools, infrastructure and other public concerns in Assam.