Kolkata: Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke called on former Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in New Delhi on Saturday.Banerjee, set to attend Sunday’s INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan, where opposition parties are set to raise the issue of alleged electoral irregularities and demand accountability from Election Commission, praised Dipke and young activists for their role in the protests against SIR.“We discussed several important issues. I also invited them to participate in tomorrow’s programme. Abhijeet, Asutosh, and Sourav are all doing very good work. They have extended full support to tomorrow’s rally, and we have assured them of our complete support. We must never forget that these young people were the pioneers of this movement. They deserve recognition for it,” said Banerjee.“I want workers, farmers, women, students and young people to come forward and join hands so that we can move ahead together. They (CJP workers) are taking this movement across different states, and if they can travel throughout the country, there is no reason why they should not come to Bengal,” she added.Dipke said he met Banerjee to express gratitude for her support to CJP’s first protest at Jantar Mantar on the NEET paper leak issue and her backing when its Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were arrested. “She was always present so strongly with the youth movement. When Sourav and Ashutosh were arrested illegally, even then Didi stood with us very firmly,” he said.Asked whether CJP would be present at Sunday’s rally, Dipke said CJP supported the protest but would continue to function independently. “We support tomorrow’s rally, we stand in solidarity, but the Cockroach Janta Party is an independent organisation; it is a neutral platform, and we want to keep it that way,” he said. “Anyone who fights against vote theft… we will support all organisations,” Dipke added.
