"Protest will not be called off," says CJP's Dipke

New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced that the protest will continue till the resignation of India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The announcement is considered significant as Sonam Wangchuk, a major supporter of CJP protest called off his 26-day long hunger strike on early hours of Friday.

Sending a strong signal of difference between the demands of CJP and Wangchuk, CJP spokesperson Abhijit Dipke said, "Nothing short of resignation (of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan) is acceptable to us. The protest will not be called off."

"This protest belongs to the youth of the nation and is not limited to one Sonam Wangchuk or Dipke. This protest belongs to the youth of the nation, not the Opposition parties. If the government wants a solution to the protest, it is only the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan," he said.

Meanwhile, Sonam Wangchuk in a video justified his decision and said, "If Dharmendra Pradhan doesn't resign, then the loss is BJP's, not ours."

READ: Different paths: CJP, Wangchuk split on Pradhan's resignation; why?

Going further he alleged Modi government of detaining Wangchuk in the hospital, adding that only BJP leaders were allowed to meet him while opposition leaders were barred.

"I think the govt had kept Sonam Wangchuk detained. JP Nadda could meet him, but no Opposition MPs could meet him. Even we could not meet him. I am very happy that Sonam sir has called off his hunger strike," Dipke said.

It is notable that neither CJP nor Wangchuk has given contradictory statement against each other, however, the demands on which Wangchuk agreed are not what the CJP or Wangchuk started its protest with.

Earlier, CJP while welcoming the end of hunger strike by Wangchuk said that it was "relieved and grateful" that he has ended his fast after 26 days, but maintained that its demand for the resignation of the Education Minister remained unchanged.

The statement underscored an apparent divergence between Wangchuk's conciliatory stance and the CJP's position.

READ: Sonam Wangchuk ends 26-day hunger strike after Modi-Govt assurance

In a video, political activist Yogendra Yadav who is actively supporting CJP's student's protest said, "The assurance on the basis of which Sonam Wangchuk ended his fast merely states that no cases will be registered against peaceful protesters—and indeed, cases should not be filed against peaceful protesters in the first place."

"So, will the government decide who among them was peaceful and who was not? And what will happen to the eleven FIRs that have already been filed? Kudos, therefore, to those young CJP leaders who have clarified that ending the fast does not mean the protest is over; Sonam Wangchuk, too, has not said that," Yadav said while raising a quite question.

(Updates have been added in this story)

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