CJP alleges Government delayed talks as farmers mass at Shambhu Border

New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Monday accused the Centre of delaying negotiations even as protests continued in Delhi following police action against demonstrators marching towards Parliament.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that party representatives Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were kept waiting for nearly five hours at Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda's residence before talks.

"The government wasted our time. Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were made to sit at JP Nadda's residence for five hours," Dipke said, while apologising to party supporters who he claimed were beaten by police during the protest.

After police cleared the Jantar Mantar protest site, CJP volunteers returned to clean the area. "That's the difference between a movement and mindless chaos," the party said, sharing visuals of supporters removing litter from the venue.

The protests also drew support overseas, with demonstrators gathering outside the Indian High Commission in London after reports of the police crackdown in Delhi and other cities, according to The Wire.

Meanwhile, thousands of farmers assembled at the Shambhu border on the Punjab-Haryana border ahead of a planned march to Delhi and a proposed Mahapanchayat against the India-US trade agreement. Haryana Police sealed the border with multiple barricades and deployed heavy security to prevent protesters from moving towards the national capital.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured NDA MPs that farmers' interests would remain paramount in every free trade agreement and that no deal would compromise their welfare.

Haryana Minister Shyam Singh Rana said the state government had received the farmers' charter of demands and would forward it to the appropriate authorities. He also said he would discuss issues concerning farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni with the Chief Minister and facilitate talks with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, or another designated representative of the Centre, within the next week to 10 days.

Volunteers were seen bringing food and other essentials for the protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar as the agitation continued.

Tags : CJP, Cockroach Janta Party, Protest, Jantar Mantar, Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das, Shambhu Border