Protests don't hurt businesses, govt restrictions do: CJP's Abhijit Dipke

Businesses do not suffer because of peaceful protests but when the government shuts down an entire city, suspends internet and restricts citizens' movement, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijit Dipke said on Friday.

In a post on X, Dipke defended the party's commitment to peace and non-violence ahead of its proposed 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march at Central Park in Connaught Place.

The CJP had organised protests in Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Nagpur, and all of them were peaceful, he said.

Dipke said he was personally assaulted in Jaipur but chose not to retaliate, since responding to violence with violence went against the movement's principles.

"We would rather exercise the rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution, drafted under the leadership of Dr B R Ambedkar, than resort to physical force," he said.

Rejecting attempts to portray CJP members as anarchists, Dipke said demanding answers from the government, protesting against injustice and questioning publi