Himanta is scared: CJP says roads blocked, members detained ahead of Assam meet

A political flashpoint erupted in Assam between the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the BJP-led state government after several CJP leaders and volunteers, including party co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka, were detained ahead of the organisation’s first regional volunteers’ meeting in the state.

Following his detention, Ranka took a swipe at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging that the Assam Chief Minister was “scared” of the CJP and the people of the state and had detained its volunteers ahead of a peaceful meet-up on private property.

"Himanta Biswa Sarma is scared because we wanted to highlight the condition of Assam. We wanted to expose the state of Assam’s schools, the reality of Kaziranga and the man-made floods in the state. That is why he detained us and also threatened our members. But he has forgotten that it is not easy to scare the people of this soil,” Ranka said in a video after his detention.

The detentions came as the CJP was preparing to hold its first regional volunteers' meeting in Guwahati to expand its footprint in the state. Ashutosh Ranka arrived in Assam on Saturday to oversee preparations for the event and was scheduled to address the volunteers at the meeting.

However, hours before his detention, Ranka alleged that the state administration had started blocking access to the venue. He also accused the government of threatening the members of the organisation.

"The entire road leading to the meet-up site has been barricaded from both sides. Assam police is ready with tear gas. Our volunteers are being detained. No one is being allowed to reach the meet-up site," Ranka wrote on X.

CJP FOUNDER ABHIJEET DIPKE SLAMS BJP

The detention triggered a sharp attack from CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who accused Assam Police of taking Ranka and the team to an unknown location. In a post on X, Dipke said the CJP leaders were on their way to a small volunteers’ meeting when they were detained.

“Assam Police has detained Ashutosh Ranka and the CJP team and is taking them to an unknown location,” Dipke posted, alleging that the team had only been going to hold a small volunteers’ meet-up in Assam.

The CJP has demanded the immediate release of Ranka and the other detained volunteers and said its grassroots campaign in Assam would continue despite the police action.