Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) co-convener Ashutosh Ranka and several volunteers of the party were allegedly assaulted by a group of people on Friday while they were on their way to inspect a government school in Jaipur’s Bagru Assembly constituency. 

Ranka told the media that one of the volunteers sustained a fractured arm in the alleged attack. 

CJP team stopped near Rampura Kanwarpura

The incident, according to CJP workers, unfolded near Rampura Kanwarpura village, where Ranka and his team were slated to take stock of a government school, in order to assess its infrastructure, facilities and overall condition.

Ranka alleged that the group confronted and manhandled him, as well as other CJP volunteers, He asserted, “They attacked us and fractured the arm of one of our volunteers,” alleging that the attackers were workers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

A video of the incident has also been making rounds online, in which a group of people can be seen confronting the CJP team, hailing slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ However, the BJP did not respond to the allegations until the report was filed. 

Allegations levelled over school infrastructure

The CJP team intended to visit two government schools in Rajasthan capital Jaipur; one located in Rampura Kanwarpura and another at Bhatta Wala on Vatika Road. The party said the visits were aimed at assessing school buildings, the education system and facilities available for the students. 

Earlier, Ranka had raised concerns on social media over the condition of the primary school located in Rampura Kanwarpura. He claimed the main building of the school had turned unsafe after portions of its roof and beams deteriorated, forcing authorities to close it. He also alleged that the structure is currently supported by iron angles. 

Ranka went on to inform that students had been moved to a shed around 50 metres from the main building, where they attend classes under a tin roof. Adding to the allegations, he said that animal fodder was lying inside the shed and bricks had fallen from parts of the structure. 

According to CJP, after Ranka announced his planned visit on social media, a group assembled near Rampura village, blocked the main road and stopped vehicles. When Ranka and other workers of the party reached the area, they were allegedly attacked.

Party vows to continue school visits

Post-incident, Ranka accused the Rajasthan government of trying to prevent the party from highlighting the condition of government schools. He uploaded a social media post, which read, “Children are being taught in a buffalo shed, and to stop us from exposing this, the BJP is sending its goons,” calling the situation ‘shameful.’

He further mentioned in the post that the CJP would continue visiting government schools despite directions issued by the state Education Department regulating the entry of outsiders. 

Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke also chipped in, alleging that BJP workers were responsible for the attack. He said in a post on ‘X’, “Goons of BJP are after the blood of Ashutosh and other CJP volunteers.”