Dipke demands action over pellet gun use on students

Asserting that student protesters are “not terrorists,” Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday demanded action against officials who ordered pellet gun firing on July 20, warning that the youth will “change the Government” if police harassment continues.        

Returning home after a month-long protest in New Delhi that led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak, Dipke claimed police across multiple states are visiting student activists’ homes and threatening them with arrest. “The Government should behave well now. The blood of students was spilled on the streets on July 20 (during the March to Parliament). It was really bad. Wasn’t it enough, now that the students are still being troubled? In many states, police are visiting the houses of students and threatening them with arrests,” he told reporters.

Dipke also sought strict legal action against officials who authorised the use of pellet guns against student demonstrators at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and warned that the Government should not presume that students’ anger has decreased after Pradhan’s resignation.

“Whether it be Amit Shah (or anyone else), action should be taken against the person who gave orders to fire pellet guns,” Dipke said.

He also warned that if need be, the students may launch a fresh agitation on a “much bigger scale”.

“These students are not terrorists. They are the future of our country. If the future of the country is troubled in such a way, just as Dharmendra Pradhan had to step down. Tomorrow, we will go and change the Government if it doesn’t fall in line,” Dipke added.

Arriving in his hometown, he said he was looking forward to meeting his parents. ‘’I am coming home after almost 40 days. Since I arrived in India, protests were going on. Then I was at Jantar Mantar in Delhi for almost 36 days. The agitation turned out to be successful and the country’s students won...I have come here and I am happy that I am going to meet my parents,” Dipke said.

Replying to a question, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should resign and become a social media influencer, “something he is very good at”.

The CJP leader visited the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University to pay respects to the chief architect of the Constitution before heading to his house in Waluj MIDC area.

Talking to reporters at his home later, he questioned the use of pellet guns against the protesters in Delhi.

‘’What was the reason for using pellet guns? Pellet guns should not be used against anyone. They (students) are citizens of our country and not terrorists. Whether it be (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah, action should be taken against the person who gave orders to fire pellet guns,” Dipke said.

Asked about the celebration by CJP volunteers following Pradhan’s resignation, which was criticised in some quarters, Dipke said there was nothing wrong with it.

‘’The volunteers were sitting in the harsh sun and in the rain for thirty-six days. What is wrong (with celebrating) after such a big victory. What does the BJP do after winning elections? The volunteers did not block roads like the BJP people do,’’ he said.

‘’Did the BJP not feel any shame in felicitating Dharmendra Pradhan in Parliament after students had committed suicide,’’ Dipke further asked.

When asked whether the CJP would launch another agitation, Dipke said the Government was forcing it to do so.

“The Government is forcing us to start a protest against....it should stop troubling the students. The anger is still there among students, because their anger was not against just one minister, but against the entire Government. The Government should fall in line, else the students will do it,” he said.

The agitation achieved a huge victory as the youth showed that they would not be afraid of questioning the Government, Dipke said.

Criticizing the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill-2026, he said there are many laws in the country but nothing can happen until those who implement them are good people.

“Three days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised fast-track courts for paper leak cases. People were also happy. But what happened? The very first hearing of the case was postponed because the CBI counsel did not appear,” he said.