The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), on Sunday, claimed that the Assam Police detained the party's co-convener Ashutosh Ranka among other party volunteers
ahead of the party's inaugural meet in Guwahati. Reacting to the development, CJP strongly condemned the action against its party leader and termed it as undemocratic. The CJP claimed that the police had earlier barricaded the venue of the party's first regional volunteers’ meet-up in Guwahati and detained CJP leaders. The Cockroach party said that hours before the inaugural meeting, Assam police personnel heavily barricaded the access roads leading to Chowdhury Tila from both sides, located directly opposite the Assam Secretariat. It said that the authorities deployed tear-gas equipment and systematically intercepted incoming attendees. Ashutosh Ranka, who arrived in Guwahati on Saturday to address the meeting, was detained by police alongside volunteers on his way to the venue.
The exact number of detained volunteers and the local police stations where they are being held remain unconfirmed, as authorities have yet to communicate any official justification for the clampdown.
The meet-up was originally organized at the Assam Shree Parshuram Seva Sadan in Athgaon, where over 500 volunteers from across Assam and the Northeast were expected to assemble.
However, following what CJP alleges was intense state pressure, the venue management abruptly withdrew permission, forcing the event to relocate to Chowdhury Tila.
Targeting CM Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government, Ashutosh Ranka has been raising serious concerns over the police barricades and tear gas equipment on the social media questioning why the state government appeared so deeply apprehensive of the CJP. He took sharp digs at the Chief Minister saying, "Himanta Mama can't stand sane people talking sanely."
In another video shot from inside a bus when Ranka was being taken after being detained, the CJP leader said that CM Himanta was scared as they (CJP) was going to expose his government, conditions of schools, and man-made Brahmaputra floods.
Why So Scared, Asks Abhijeet Dipke
Reacting to Ranka's detention, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke challenged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, asking, "Why so scared, Himanta?"
The incident marks an escalation in ongoing friction between CJP organizers and local authorities.
