‘Assam’s Cockroaches Are Just Getting Started’: CJP Leader Takes On Himanta After Detentiona

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leader Ashutosh Ranka stepped up his attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

After being released from police detention, accusing the state authorities of illegally holding him and more than 40 party volunteers ahead of a scheduled meeting in Guwahati.

Ranka and the CJP volunteers were detained on Sunday from the residence of Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) leader Kunki Chowdhury, where the group had gathered for a planned meeting. They were subsequently taken to the 10th Assam Police Battalion headquarters in Kahilipara, according to reports.

After his release, Ranka posted on X that the alleged detention had ended and claimed the group had asked police to take them back to the location from where they were picked up.

In another post directed at Sarma, Ranka wrote, “Cockroaches of Assam are just getting started.”

Speaking to reporters after his release, Ranka alleged that the police did not explain why he and his colleagues were being detained.

“We asked them on what basis we were detained, but the police said they didn’t know, and that they had orders from the top,” he said.

Why Was the CJP Team in Assam?

According to Ranka, the planned meeting was intended to discuss a range of issues, including the condition of government schools, the rights of indigenous communities in Kaziranga and allegations concerning the redrawing of constituency boundaries ahead of the state election.

Ranka alleged that the police action was aimed at preventing the group from highlighting these issues.

“Himanta Biswa Sarma is afraid of the cockroaches and used his police to threaten us,” Ranka said, adding that the CJP would continue raising issues concerning schools and employment.

He also invoked singer Zubeen Garg while describing the CJP’s campaign, saying the group would continue to push what it considers to be the rights of people in Assam.

Ranka Says CJP Campaign Will Expand

Ranka further alleged that Sarma had made a mistake similar to one he attributed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the CJP’s earlier protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

He said the CJP’s campaign would now expand across the Northeast.

“Sarma may have all the resources, but we are not afraid. We are fighting for our rights,” Ranka said.

A video shared from Ranka’s X account earlier showed him inside a moving vehicle accompanied by police personnel. In the video, he alleged that the detention was linked to the CJP’s plans to highlight the condition of schools and other issues in Assam.

CJP Had Accused Police of Blocking Meeting

The detention came as the CJP was preparing to hold its first regional volunteers’ meeting in Guwahati. Party leaders had earlier alleged that police blocked access to the proposed venue and detained members attempting to attend the gathering.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke had earlier demanded Ranka’s release and said he would travel to Assam with other party members if the detention continued. He also said the group had not been informed of the grounds for the action.

Opposition Questions Detention

The detention also drew criticism from opposition figures.

NCP (SP) spokesperson Anish Gawande claimed that Ranka and other CJP members had been detained from a private residence without being served a legal notice or informed of the provisions under which they were being held.

Other opposition parties in Assam, including the Congress, AJP, Raijor Dal and AAP, also questioned the police action and called for the release of the detained activists.

Ranka and the other CJP volunteers were later released. Following his release, Ranka reiterated his allegation that the detention was illegal and said the party would continue its campaign in Assam.