Mohammad Junaid denies rift with CJP, says leadership is with him; party reiterates support

Mohammad Junaid, a prominent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) volunteer who emerged as one of the faces of the Jantar Mantar protest, has dismissed speculation of a fallout with the Abhijeet Dipke-led outfit, calling such claims an attempt to undermine the movement.

In a video released on Monday, Junaid urged supporters not to believe “fake rumours” circulating on social media and said the CJP’s top leadership continued to stand by him. “Some people want to defame our movement. I am safe, my family is safe, and the leadership is with me. This is a conspiracy to weaken the movement,” he said.

Backing Junaid’s statement, the CJP said he is receiving full legal assistance and had also attended a volunteers’ gathering after the protest concluded. CJP legal coordinator Ratna Singh dismissed reports of differences between Junaid and the organisation, saying the outfit has always supported him and would continue to stand by all its volunteers.

The clarification follows online speculation after the protest ended, with several social media posts claiming Junaid had been sidelined by the CJP leadership. The party rejected those claims, describing them as baseless.

Junaid had earlier alleged that Uttar Pradesh Police detained members of his family in Ghaziabad, seized documents during a raid at his residence, and harassed relatives in Meerut because of his role in the agitation. The CJP condemned the alleged police action and said it had been in constant touch with him while extending legal support.

However, Meerut Superintendent of Police Vinayak Gopal Bhonsle denied the allegations, saying a verification by local police found no evidence that any member of Junaid’s family had been detained.