Assam Police detained Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convener Ashutosh Ranka and multiple volunteers in Guwahati on Sunday. The arrests occurred just hours before the outfit’s first regional volunteers’ meeting, a move CJP leadership slammed as an undemocratic crackdown. Police had previously barricaded the venue, setting the stage for the confrontation.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke claimed Ranka was picked up from a private residence without being informed of any charges. "They have still not been told under what charges or on what grounds he has been detained," Dipke wrote on social media. He issued a direct challenge to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma: if Ranka is not released, Dipke will travel to Assam with other CJP members. "Himanta can arrest us all," he stated.
Saurav Das, another CJP leader, condemned the action as a replacement of the rule of law with the "rule of whim." Das alleged the detention was illegal and aimed at silencing young people. "The entire CJP family stands firmly with Ashu and our colleagues," Das posted on X, vowing to secure their immediate release. The party framed the incident as a targeted suppression of dissent rather than a standard law enforcement action.
The escalation comes against a backdrop of intense political tension. Days earlier, CJP announced a nationwide agitation beginning in Mumbai on October 2. The protest follows the expiry of an ultimatum demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. With the Guwahati meeting disrupted and key leaders in custody, the stage is set for a broader confrontation across the country.