CJP protest aimed to subvert democracy while using its privileges: RSS leader

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Atul Limaye has called for a deep study of the students’ movement launched by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and why the youth of the country need to understand the entire process, methodology and ideological background behind it.

Addressing an ABVP event in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on July 30, Limaye said the protest evolved into an “experiment for alternative politics” and several political, students’ and civil society organisations joined it to disseminate the idea of “subversion of democracy through democratic means.”

Also read: Got a scholarship, have loan to repay: CJP founder replies to questions on US education

Asserting that the protest was not an isolated, immediate movement, Limaye said its emergence shows why it is essential for organisations with a national perspective to have a presence among the youth.

‘Who made the protest click?’

Limaye claimed that a study of the movement would show how certain players pulling the strings from behind ensured its success in Delhi, although it received a lukewarm response in other states.

Breaking down the sequence of the movement, Limaye said CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke had initially launched the movement online and it received a good response. He said Dipke then launched the movement in India on June 7, a day after he arrived from the US.

Also read: CJP's Dipke dares 'emperor' to reveal degree after BJP targets his education funding

Limaye said Dipke’s protests in several cities between June 7 and 19 didn’t elicit the amount of reception he was expecting but instantly clicked with the youth when he launched the movement in the form of a sit-in at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

“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 the kind of support system,” he said.

He claimed that the success was a result of the support lent by certain entities and organisations associated with the movement.

“Since this was primarily a movement led by youth and students, several Left-wing student organisations, such as All India Students' Association (AISA) and Students' Federation of India (SFI), became actively involved in it. Numerous organisations associated with human rights, tribal issues, women's rights, Muslim and Christian communities, farmers, labourers, environmental causes, journalism, and legal aid also participated – either directly or indirectly," Limaye said.

‘Unanswered questions need explanation’

Limaye said the protest has several unanswered questions which need to be analysed.

He questioned the alleged presence of anti-Hindu voices at the protest, demanding to know how a demonstration that was primarily started by students got infiltrated by political parties, and left ideology and even received foreign support.

Also read: How CJP protest spread to UK, USA, Europe, got Indian diaspora's support

"Why were anti-Hindu voices heard from certain platforms? Why were individuals who raised-or supported-controversial and anti-national slogans present there? How did the influence of Leftist ideology suddenly increase within the movement? How did various political parties and their interests become intertwined with it? How did a purely student-led movement transform into a political one almost overnight? How was the coordination of similar activities and protests achieved across the country? How did the movement expand and garner support even abroad?" he asked.

‘Protest aimed to challenge democracy’

Limaye invoked Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony to argue that the protest’s goal was to challenge democratic institutions from within a democratic system.

"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 said.

He claimed that this kind of politics could either be achieved politically or by weakening public faith in institutions.

Also read: After Centre, CJP confronts BJP-ruled states, warns Bihar, Bengal over protesters' arrests

"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," he said.

Gandhi's killers can’t call anyone anti-national: Dipke

CJP founder Dipke rubbished the allegations, stating that the people who “murdered” Mahatma Gandhi have no moral authority to make such statements.

"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," Dipke said.