NEW DELHI: With the detention of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) top leadership, Ajinkya Shinde, a native of Maharashtra’s Latur district, has emerged as the face of the organisation’s next phase of agitation at Jantar Mantar.
Shinde, the CJP’s organisational in-charge, took over the “Jantar Mantar 2.0” protest on Saturday after party leaders Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by Delhi Police from inside an aircraft.
Dipke had entrusted him with leading the agitation demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar while the three leaders remained in detention.
Shinde, 35, hails from Ujani village in Ausa tehsil of Latur district. He gave up his career as a computer engineer to pursue social and political activism, driven by concerns over the country’s political and social situation.
Inspired by Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement and the campaigns led by Arvind Kejriwal, Shinde gradually moved towards public affairs. His father, a retired teacher, is currently engaged in farming in Alibag.
Shinde believed that criticising the system was not enough and resigned from his job to work for political and social change, Dhawan said.
He subsequently joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), serving as its Maharashtra state youth president before taking charge of organisational activities in Goa. After gaining experience in political organisation-building in the two states, he left the AAP and joined the Cockroach Janta Party.
Shinde is also learnt to have played a key role in planning and coordinating the CJP’s five-week protest at Jantar Mantar against examination paper leaks, including NEET-UG, and other testing irregularities.
Shinde calls for demonstration today
Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) Ajinkya Shinde has announced a protest at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, urging supporters to join the demonstration and continue the agitation.
IYC launches legal helpline amid detention
Amid protests, the Indian Youth Congress on Saturday launched a legal helpline to assist people facing detention or threats linked to the protests in the national capital.
