Authorities in the northeastern Indian state of Assam have detained Ashutosh Ranka, a co-convener of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), according to the party’s founder Abhijeet Dipke. Dipke revealed on the social media platform X on Sunday that Ranka was taken into custody by local police during his visit to the region to conduct inspections of educational institutions.
The detention follows recent statements made by Ranka directed at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Ranka alleged that state leadership fears exposure regarding the deteriorating conditions of schools across Assam. He further accused the government of concealment regarding alleged environmental degradation, including the loss of forests, water sources, and land to corporate interests near the Kaziranga region.
Ranka also referenced the 2023 delimitation exercise, which critics argue manipulated demographic boundaries to influence election outcomes. He claimed that the redrawing of constituency lines facilitated electoral manipulation, citing instances where residents were assigned to vote in multiple constituencies. Despite these allegations, Ranka stated that his party members would not be deterred from their activism.
The incident adds to a period of heightened tension involving the CJP and state authorities, as the opposition INDIA bloc prepares for a meeting in New Delhi to discuss concerns over the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls.
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