Ink thrown at CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke during Jantar Mantar protest | WATCH
What was meant to be another day of protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar descended into chaos on Saturday after a woman threw an ink-like liquid at Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke while he was addressing supporters from the stage.
The incident, caught on camera, briefly brought the programme to a halt as protesters rushed towards Dipke, creating commotion at the venue.
The woman was quickly stopped, but her identity and the reason behind the act were not immediately known. Police had not issued a detailed statement on the incident at the time of writing.
The disruption came just hours after activist Sonam Wangchuk was shifted from the protest site to Safdarjung Hospital, raising the political temperature around the ongoing agitation.
Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28, was moved after his health reportedly worsened. Delhi Police said the decision was based on medical advice and directions issued by the Delhi High Court to ensure he received necessary medical care.
His removal, however, drew sharp criticism from the CJP, which accused police of forcibly taking him away while protesters were away from the site for a short break. Party leaders also alleged that several demonstrators were manhandled during the operation, an allegation the police have not confirmed.
Soon after Wangchuk was taken to the hospital, Dipke announced that he too would begin an indefinite hunger strike, saying the movement would continue despite the police action.
The party also intensified its political campaign, renewing its demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation while reiterating its call for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to step down over the alleged NEET examination irregularities.
CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the protest would continue at Jantar Mantar and confirmed that the organisation would go ahead with its planned march to Parliament on July 20, coinciding with the start of the Monsoon Session.
Meanwhile, Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, urged that no medical treatment be administered to him without the family's consent. The CJP also released a video recorded before Wangchuk's hospitalisation in which he described his fast as a voluntary form of protest rather than a medical condition.
With agency inputs