CJP demands police action against influencer over alleged assault incident

Scores of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists gathered outside Parliament Street police station in Delhi on Friday to press authorities for action against self-styled Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj, who has been accused of assaulting a supporter's family member during a recent demonstration.

The protest, which included CJP co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka as well as Aazad Samaj Party Chief and Member of Parliament Chandra Shekhar Azad, centered on an interview in which Bhardwaj allegedly claimed responsibility for attacking Sanjay Kumar, the father of CJP activist Nishu Azad. The incident reportedly occurred during a protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20, according to party claims that subsequently circulated widely on social media.

Party representatives alleged that Kumar sustained head injuries during the alleged assault and accused Delhi Police of failing to respond adequately despite repeated requests for arrest and registration of a case. The protesters voiced their frustrations through slogans directed at the police department, contending that the influencer had evaded serious legal consequences for his purported actions.

The demonstration underscores ongoing tensions between activist groups and social media figures aligned with Hindu nationalist movements, as well as broader concerns among opposition parties regarding police response to incidents involving their supporters.