New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has responded sharply to a political offer from Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, questioning the sudden change in tone towards him.
Athawale, who heads the Republican Party of India (Athawale), an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), recently suggested that Dipke should consider joining his party and work towards the vision of Dr BR Ambedkar. Athawale described Dipke as a young and active Ambedkarite.
Dipke Questions the Offer
Reacting to a report about Athawale’s suggestion, Dipke took to Instagram and questioned why he was now being offered a political opportunity after allegedly being labelled “anti-national” only a month earlier.
“Par abhi ek mahine pehle toh main anti national tha tumhare liye?” he wrote.
His response appeared to highlight the contrast between the criticism directed at the CJP movement and the latest invitation from an NDA ally.
What Did Ramdas Athawale Say?
Athawale said Dipke should consider joining the Republican Party of India (Athawale) and contribute to the political process.
The Union minister described Dipke as an Ambedkarite and said that his energy and activism could be channelled into politics. He also stressed that those who commit wrongdoing should face punishment.
The offer comes after Dipke and supporters of the CJP movement had organised protests and raised demands concerning examination irregularities and accountability in the education system.
Dipke Has Previously Rejected Electoral Politics
Despite the political attention surrounding him, Dipke has previously indicated that he does not intend to enter conventional electoral politics.
The CJP emerged as an online youth movement and subsequently developed into a broader campaign around education, examination irregularities and political accountability. Dipke has argued that the movement should focus on public mobilisation rather than becoming another conventional political party.
During the CJP’s protests, Dipke also criticised authorities for focusing on the movement’s social media activity instead of addressing its demands concerning alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment.
From Controversy to Political Attention
Dipke’s rise has been rapid. The CJP initially gained attention online before expanding into street protests, particularly over alleged examination irregularities and demands for greater accountability.
The movement’s protests at Jantar Mantar brought the issue into the national political spotlight, with several political figures commenting on or expressing support for the agitation.
The political establishment has also previously criticised the movement, making Athawale’s invitation particularly notable.
Dipke’s latest response suggests that he remains wary of being drawn into established party politics. Rather than accepting the offer, his reaction focused on the apparent contradiction between previous criticism and the current invitation.
Focus Remains on Public Issues
Dipke has recently shifted attention towards education-related issues through his “School Thik Karo” campaign, which focuses on improving government schools and questioning the growing dependence on private education.
He has also questioned why people working in the education system—including ministers, officials, principals and teachers—often choose private schools for their own children instead of government institutions.
For now, there is no indication that Dipke has accepted Athawale’s political invitation.
His pointed response—“Abhi ek mahine pehle toh main anti national tha?”—has instead underscored the complicated relationship between his youth-led movement and mainstream political parties.
As political interest in Dipke continues to grow, the question remains whether he will maintain his position outside electoral politics or eventually enter the political arena himself.
