Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has questioned the role of Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke in the recent student protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Rijiju alleged that Dipke is linked to the Aam Aadmi Party and questioned how he came to present himself as a student leader.
Speaking about the ongoing student led protests, Rijiju said that the government understands and takes the concerns of students seriously. However, he said that genuine student issues should not be mixed with political interests. Rijiju alleged that the AAP and other political groups were trying to hijack the student movement for their own political benefit. He questioned whether political workers should be presented as student leaders during such protests.
The minister also said that the concerns raised by students are valid and that young people have every right to raise issues that affect them. At the same time, he stressed that political involvement should not take control of a movement that started around student concerns.
The remarks come after student protests in Delhi attracted attention over issues raised by young protesters. The handling of the protests has also become a political issue, with the government and Opposition giving different views on the situation. Rijiju recently defended the authorities handling of the demonstrations, saying that the protests were managed without deaths or serious injuries among protesters. The latest comments are likely to add another political angle to the ongoing debate over the student protests and the role of political groups in such movements.
