Why is CJP taking on the BJP government in West Bengal?
Why Is CJP Taking Aim at West Bengal's BJP Government After the Bankura Killing?
Indiadailyupdate.com – Why is CJP taking on the BJP government in West Bengal has become the central question in state politics following a ten-day ultimatum issued by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). The party is demanding that the Suvendu Adhikari-led administration arrest every individual implicated in the fatal assault on 50-year-old Sheikh Mafik in Indas, Bankura district. Eight suspects have been detained so far, but the CJP insists that number is far from sufficient. Should its conditions go unmet, the party has pledged to encircle administrative offices across Bankura in a sustained sit-out protest.
Four-Point Ultimatum and the "Mission West Bengal" Fundraiser
Alongside the arrest demand, the CJP has tabled a four-point list: guaranteed security for the household of Abdul Hafiz — Mafik's son — prosecution of those who carried out the assault, a formal inquiry into alleged police negligence surrounding the incident, and fulfilment of a wish Mafik had voiced to the government, namely the construction of a school bearing his father's name. The state government has, to date, declined to extend compensation to the bereaved family. Under the banner of "Mission West Bengal," the party has opened a public fundraising channel to support Hafiz's household while it presses its case.
Why is CJP taking such an aggressive posture? The answer, according to party co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka, lies in what preceded the violence. The family had been attempting to spotlight the deplorable condition of schools across Bankura when the attack occurred. Undeterred, the CJP announced it would continue its "School Theek Karo" campaign, inviting citizens to lodge comparable grievances and collectively press the BJP-led administration to respond. Ranka stated that more than 2,000 schools have shut their doors in West Bengal and called for their reopening. The party further demanded that the government table a five-point roadmap for overhauling the national education system, adding that the CJP stands ready to offer its full backing to any such initiative.
Venue Dispute and a Broader Political Rebuke
Ranka alleged that the party had booked Bharat Sabha Hall for an internal meeting, only to be told the venue could not be made available owing to pressure from the BJP. He described a hostile atmosphere while the group attempted to hold a press conference, noting that permission had been sought a full day in advance. The episode, he argued, illustrated the kind of administrative friction the party routinely faces.
The CJP also directed sharp criticism at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's use of the phrase "dimagi naxal" during his Independence Day address and the subsequent launch of a social-media page carrying the identical label — a tactic the party likened to the way the CJP itself had built momentum in earlier campaigns.
"I have one request to the BJP. Change your 15-year-old playbook where you term people Pakistani or anti-national. Earlier, you called them urban naxals; now you call them dimagi naxals. At least they admit that people have a brain. Then you resort to beating, spreading violence, propaganda and misinformation. Change your playbook."
"Why do you (BJP) attach a conspiracy theory to every protest? According to the BJP whatever is happening which is not aligned with their ideology is a conspiracy."
Ranka closed by urging the Prime Minister to step forward, solicit ideas from ordinary citizens on substantive issues, and align policy with people's lived concerns before the window for meaningful engagement closes entirely. He framed the Bankura episode not as an isolated act of violence but as a symptom of a governance model that, in his words, treats dissent as a conspiracy rather than a conversation.
FAQ: Why Is CJP Taking on the BJP Government in West Bengal?
What triggered the CJP's ten-day ultimatum? The killing of 50-year-old Sheikh Mafik in Indas, Bankura district, prompted the party to demand arrests, prosecution, a police-negligence inquiry, and the construction of a school named after Mafik.
How many people have been arrested so far? Eight individuals have been taken into custody in connection with the incident, though the CJP considers that number inadequate.
What is the "School Theek Karo" drive? It is a CJP-led campaign inviting citizens to report grievances about school conditions in West Bengal and collectively press the state government to reopen more than 2,000 closed schools and adopt a five-point education-overhaul roadmap.
What did the CJP say about PM Modi's "dimagi naxal" remark? Co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka urged the BJP to abandon what he called its "15-year-old playbook" of labelling protesters, arguing that the party should engage citizens on policy rather than dismiss them with conspiratorial language.