New Delhi: Scores of Cockroach Janta Party supporters gathered outside the Parliament Street police station in Delhi on Friday, September 4, to demand action against self-styled Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj who allegedly boasted about assaulting a student protester’s father in a now viral video.
Shouting slogans against Delhi Police, the protesters, including CJP co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka as well as Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) Chief and MP Chandra Shekhar Azad, accused Delhi Police of failing to take stringent action against Bhardwaj.
The protest was organised after a widely circulated interview of Bhardwaj claiming he assaulted Sanjay Kumar, father of CJP protester Nishu Azad, during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on July 20, came to light.
Ranka alleged that a supporter’s father, Sanjay, was assaulted during the party’s protest at Jantar Mantar and suffered head injuries, claiming that repeated demands for the arrest of the accused and registration of an attempt-to-murder case had yielded no action from the Delhi Police.
Delhi Police, however, has disputed claims that Sanjay suffered a skull fracture, saying he sustained a minor injury during a scuffle and that a case was registered on his complaint.
Ranka, along with Das and other party supporters, on Friday proceeded from Patel Chowk to the Parliament Street police station in connection with the case.
He alleged that some of those involved in the incident had now openly admitted to assaulting Sanjay and attempting to kill him, but the police had not taken action against them.
Ranka further alleged that the inaction was due to the influence of BJP workers and Delhi minister Kapil Mishra.
“We demand that Delhi Police immediately arrest those who have identified themselves as being involved, register an attempt-to-murder case against them, and invoke all applicable serious charges,” Ranka said.
Das alleged that Sanjay is the father of a minor who has been associated with the CJP-led protest since its beginning and regularly accompanied her to the sit-in.
He alleged that while the protesters were holding a peaceful demonstration, members of a “criminal gang” entered the protest site and resorted to violence.
“After the FIR was registered, we continued putting pressure on the police, saying that this was an attempt to murder and that the relevant section should be added,” he added.
There was a caste angle to the incident, Das said and added, “We also demanded that the SC/ST Act be invoked because they belong to a Dalit family.”
According to Das, when the protesters sought further action, police officials asked them to approach the court and obtain an order.
Ranka said the CJP and its entire team had stood by Sanjay since the beginning of the incident and accused the police of failing to act despite their repeated demands.
He described the alleged inaction as “a shameful day for the country and our democracy” and demanded immediate action against all those allegedly involved in the assault.
The CJP protest comes after a clip of the interview of Swatantra Bhardwaj, who describes himself as ‘kattar Hindu’ (hardline Hindu) made rounds on the internet, in which he was seen admitting that he “cracked the skull” of Nishu Azad’s father during the protest.
“…Do you know which section this crime attracts? Section 307. He needed 60 stitches. The man was being taken away in an ambulance in serious condition. His daughter was standing outside the police station and saying that she would die by suicide if her father didn’t get justice. But I was not even jailed. The world should know this. I was out and about through the night,” Bhardwaj is heard saying in the video.
In the one-hour interview, which is available on YouTube, Bharadwaj also claimed to have political connections
“I have the blessings of Hanuman upon me. And secondly, Kapil Mishra is my elder brother. They say Kapil Mishra called and I was released. Chirag Paswan is my elder brother. How many leaders do you know? Do you know Modi ji? Modi ji is also my elder brother. I have everyone’s support,” he says.
Security has been stepped up around the police station, with additional personnel deployed and barricades put up to maintain law and order.
CJP on X said that “even if a 10th of it had been used to arrest the criminal openly, accepting his crimes,” the organisation would not be protesting in the first place.
A senior police officer said that they are in contact with CJP officials.
