New Delhi | Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), alleged on Monday that supporters of their ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, which has now entered its tenth day, are being questioned by the police, and that basic facilities are being denied at the protest site.
Dipke claimed that police questioned tea vendor Aniket Patil, who invited him to his stall, and visited his home and warehouse to inquire about the source of the tea supplied to the protesters.
Questioning the action, Dipke asked whether selling tea had become a crime, noting that those bringing food and water to the protesters were similarly questioned.
He announced that he would bring roses and tea for the police personnel on Tuesday at 11.30 am and urged them to remember their duty as the country's law enforcement.
Dipke also alleged that protesters had to hold a demonstration late Sunday night to demand a portable toilet facility for Wangchuk during his hunger strike. He pointed out that basic amenities, including water supply at public toilets in Jantar Mantar, are inadequate.
Meanwhile, Wangchuk, whose hunger strike entered its second day, commended the way students and volunteers are organising the protest, describing it as an example of a peaceful democratic movement.
"The way students are running this protest, everyone is doing their part. This is a unique demonstration where everyone is contributing," Wangchuk said.
He expressed pride in the large number of volunteers arriving each day and thanked the Delhi Police for their cooperation.
The Magsaysay award winner emphasised that there is nothing anti-national about the protest, asserting that participants are simply seeking accountability.
"If you keep showing toughness, you will damage yourself. People are losing faith in you, and they will reject you. People will accept you when you understand their pain," he said.
He urged the government to address the concerns being raised, including the demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The six students associated with the All India Students' Association (AISA) also entered the second day of their indefinite hunger strike on Monday from a separate stage at the protest venue.
The students include Neha, AISA All India President; Danish, JNUSU Joint Secretary; Manish, AISA Uttar Pradesh President; Deepak, AISA Delhi University Vice President; Hrishikesh, President of Barak Hostel, JNU; and Aameen, former CC member of AUD Students Council.
They were visited by the parents of students, professors, civil society members and other supporters during the day.
CPI leader D Raja also visited the protest site and extended solidarity with the students and protesters. He was accompanied by Delhi CPI state secretary Dinesh Varshney and other party leaders.
Raja said political differences should be kept aside, and organisations supporting the demands could join the protest with the national flag and not party flags.
Earlier in the day, CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby and senior leader Brinda Karat had also reached the protest venue and met Wangchuk and Dipke. They were accompanied by SFI Joint Secretary Aishe Ghosh and other student leaders.
The protest by CJP began on June 20 over alleged irregularities in the examination system, including NEET. Dipke has said the agitation would not remain limited to education-related issues and that other accountability issues, including electoral matters such as Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, would also be raised.