RSS leader calls for 'decoding' CJP's protest over NEET-UG leak

RSS leader Atul Limaye alleged the CJP protest over the NEET-UG leak was infiltrated by foreign elements to subvert democracy. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke refuted the claims, stating the RSS has no right to call anyone anti-national.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Atul Limaye has called for "decoding" the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest over the NEET-UG paper leak, alleging that several foreign and political elements "infiltrated" the agitation and propagated the idea of "subversion of democracy through democratic means."

Addressing an ABVP event in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on July 30, the RSS leader alleged that Hindus were opposed and 'anti-national' slogans were raised from the CJP's stage.

RSS leader details protest chronology

During the event, Limaye said, "In Today's times, CJP agitation should be studied as a case study. This has now come to the knowledge of everyone, but this was A phenomenon going on for years now. And if we have to study this whole agitation, we will have to see its full chronology, methodology and what their support system is, and the innovative system which they used and the ideology behind it. Of we see chronology, Abhijit Dipke was from our Marathwada itself. When he launched CJP, he got tremendous following (on social Media), and when he came back to India, he came back on 6th June and did his agitation on 7th."

"But he didn't receive the response which was expected. So, he roamed around the country from 7th to 19th. He started agitation in various cities of the country, or tried to start agitation, but even there did not get that kind of response. So, he started agitation, sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar from the 20th onwards, and gradually the face of the agitation got changed," he added.

'Face of agitation changed'

He added that several human rights organisations, labour unions, student organisations, and women's associations joined the protest.

The RSS leader said, "What kind of things happened after that which changed the face of this agitation? What kind of support system did attach to this agitation? We need to see which organisations and institutions got attached to this agitation, and this will give us an idea of what kind of support system. This agitation obviously involved the youth, the students of the country. And that is why several student organisations got attached to it. Among the prominent organisations which were leading the stage in this protest was All India Student Association (AISA). And the second such Association was SFI."

"Some human rights organisations, many tribal organisations, women organisations like Pinjra Tod joined them. Many Muslim organisations, Christian organisations, some institutions working in the legal sector, environment sector, journalistic associations also joined them. Some farmers' associations joined them, as Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Bharatiya Kisan Union joined them," he added.

'Subversion of democracy through democratic means'

Invoking Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci's work on cultural hegemony, Limaye argued that the CJP's movement worked to subvert the culture and institutions, while deploying democratic means, such as protesting on the streets. He also objected to opposition leaders joining the protest at Jantar Mantar.

He said, Why did the opposition to Hindus arise from the stage? Why were leaders from several political parties seen on the stage, and how did it convert from a student protest to a political protest? It was not limited to Delhi, but expanded in all the states. For this, we have to decode Yogendra Yadav's remark, 'Democracy's future now will not be decided in Parliament but on streets, elections will not decide, resistance will.' The cause of the protest was genuine, but who captured the movement? If we understand this, then we will understand this protest. There is a lot to learn. This protest was an experiment for an alternative politics."

"This theory states subversion of democracy through democratic means. This is well documented, and Italian scholar Gramsci gave the theory of cultural hegemony. He said that cultural hegemony needs to be destroyed for revolution. The deconstruction theory challenged Lord Ram and other figures. Alternative politics states that till there is a system, like our Parliamentary system, there cannot be revolution. All the systems, including the judiciary and police, need to be challenged," he added.

Limaye said that the means to alternative politics can be achieved either through elections or through subversion of democracy.

"There are two ways: one is election and the second is subversion of democracy through democratic means. There is infiltration in the judiciary, education system, and bureaucracy. Second is challenging the institutions and eroding faith in them. The results are so dangerous. Many police officers said the way the women were behaving, it was difficult to tolerate. The way they were dressed and the language they used, we were ashamed. This was an attempt to degrade the culture," the Sangh leader said.

CJP founder hits back at RSS

Meanwhile, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke hit back, stating that the RSS has no moral right to call anyone else anti-national.

Speaking to ANI on Monday, Abhijeet Dipke hit back at the RSS leader. In his sharp criticism, Dipke recalled the temporary ban on the RSS after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.

Abhijeet Dipke said, "People who murdered Mahatma Gandhi are calling us anti-national. The murderers of Mahatma Gandhi have no moral right to call anyone else anti-national. Nathuram Godse was the first anti-national."

The CJP led a 37-day-long protest from Jantar Mantar, which was withdrawn on July 25 after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned and they received assurance on their other key demands. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)