Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the pressure group, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Wednesday pleaded with his supporters to gather at Central Park in Delhi’s Connaught Place (CP) on October 15, Friday, carrying the national flag, after two members of the outfit, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were sent to judicial custody over an alleged violation of trespassing and peace bonds.

Calling on people he termed ‘patriots,’ Dipke announced the gathering for 5 pm, saying the demonstration would underscore that waving the tricolour should not be viewed as a crime. He also urged the ones unable to travel to Delhi to organise ‘Tiranga marches’ in their respective cities.

In a post uploaded on ‘X’ on Wednesday, Dipke said Das and Ranka had been jailed ‘merely for unfurling the tricolour.’ He added that he too, could face arrest following the appeal but said he remained determined to raise the national flag.

Das, Ranka sent to 5-day judicial custody

Dipke’s call for a gathering came after Das and Ranka were remanded to five days of judicial custody on Wednesday, following which they were sent to Tihar jail. As per reports, the two were accused of violating their peace bonds and trespassing into Jantar Mantar, which, on Monday, had been denotified as a designated protest area.

The CJP members had allegedly entered the area while carrying the national flag in their hands and raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday, after which, the Delhi police whisked them away.

The party then claimed that its members had reclaimed Jantar Mantar and their right to protest. However, the circumstances surrounding the alleged trespass and the legal proceedings remain central to the case.

Dipke voices demand for nationwide flag marches

Announcing the proposed gathering at the Central Park in CP, Dipke called on supporters who value the national flag to join the stir. He asserted, “We will show that waving a tiranga is not a crime,” reiterating his appeal for people across India to conduct evening marches if they could not reach Delhi.

He also expressed apprehension that he might be jailed after the announcement. Nevertheless, he maintained that the national flag was a matter of pride and said he would continue to raise it.

3rd associate released on personal bond

Meanwhile, CJP’s another leader, Ajinkya Shinde was released after being bound down to maintain peace and good behaviour for six months, as per police. He was released on a personal bond and a surety of Rs 5,000.