CJP workers, including Ashutosh Ranka, beaten up, cars damaged during school visit in Jaipur; Dipke blames ‘BJP goons’

A government primary school in Jaipur’s Rampura Kanwarpura village became the site of a confrontation on Friday after members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) arrived to inspect its facilities as part of their ongoing “School Thik Karo” campaign, reports PTI. The team was reportedly stopped by locals before being forced to leave the area, while CJP leaders later alleged that BJP workers were behind the incident.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said volunteers, including co-convener Ashutosh Ranka, were assaulted during the visit and questioned the role of Rajasthan Police. He shared pictures purportedly showing a clash and a damaged car window.

The allegations have not been independently established. Bagru DSP Dharmendra Sharma said he was unaware of any such development.

Clash breaks out during CJP school inspection

The CJP workers had travelled to the village to examine the government school and interact with students and teachers. Sources said the main road leading into the village had been barricaded before their arrival, with people checking vehicles entering the area.

A confrontation then broke out, following which the CJP activists were pushed out of the village, according to the sources. The villagers later staged a sit-in outside the school and raised slogans against the party.

Ranka separately alleged that those involved in the confrontation were not villagers but men who had allegedly been brought there by the BJP.

School declared unsafe, classes shifted to cattle enclosure

The dispute comes against the backdrop of concerns over the condition of the school building. The structure has been declared “unsafe” and is currently closed to students.

Classes are being conducted in a cattle enclosure near the school building, according to the account shared by the CJP.

Villagers, who were joined by BJP workers, said the building could be repaired locally and claimed that government funds had already been sanctioned for the work.

Ranka, however, said the government school was operating from a buffalo shed and that the CJP team had gone there to examine the facilities available to students.

‘School Thik Karo’ campaign targets rural government schools

The Friday visit was part of a wider CJP campaign covering government schools in Jaipur district. The party had planned to inspect two schools that day.

Under the “School Thik Karo” campaign, CJP teams assess school buildings, infrastructure, academic arrangements and student facilities. They also speak with teachers and students to understand the condition of primary education in rural areas.

The latest visit follows a dispute over access to government schools in Rajasthan. After earlier CJP inspections, the state education department reportedly restricted the entry of outsiders and mediapersons into government schools unless they had a specific reason.

Ranka criticised the restriction and accused the education minister of trying to conceal the condition of government schools.

“The education minister is adopting an authoritarian approach to hide the poor state of education in Rajasthan. We will not be intimidated by the government's order. Our mission will continue until the condition of all government schools in Rajasthan improves,” Ranka said.

Abhijit Dipke accuses BJP, questions police

Dipke alleged in posts on X that BJP workers targeted CJP volunteers during the school visit.

“What the F is happening in Rajasthan?????” he wrote, alleging that “goons of BJP” were targeting CJP volunteers. He also questioned why police had allegedly allowed the incident to happen.

Ranka made similar allegations in a separate post, claiming that the men involved had been brought in by the BJP rather than being local residents.

The CJP team’s allegations come alongside the account of local residents, who were reported to have opposed the visit and later protested outside the school. Police have not confirmed the allegations made by the party.