Dipke Defends Proposed Connaught Place Protest

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke defended a proposed October 16 protest at Connaught Place, saying peaceful demonstrations do not harm businesses, as the New Delhi Traders Association urged political parties and protest groups to hold rallies elsewhere. The reports do not establish whether the planned demonstration took place or what its outcome was. The New Delhi Traders Association said demonstrations over the previous three weeks had disrupted sales, commuting and livelihoods in Connaught Place. It urged groups to use alternative venues, arguing that road closures and reduced access had discouraged visitors and affected shopkeepers, workers and vendors reliant on daily business. Dipke, in remarks posted on X, attributed hardship to government shutdowns, movement restrictions and internet suspensions, rather than peaceful protests. He said CJP demonstrations in Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Nagpur had been peaceful. He also said he was assaulted during a protest in Jaipur but did not retaliate. These accounts of earlier events and the causes of business disruption are statements by the parties involved. The traders association’s president, Atul...