Abhijit Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, said venue owners in Delhi were threatened to prevent party meetings [1, 2].
These allegations highlight ongoing tensions regarding the freedom of assembly and political expression for smaller parties in India's capital. If verified, the use of intimidation against private businesses to curb political activity suggests a systemic effort to silence opposition voices.
Dipke said that venue owners were specifically targeted with the phrase “Ulta Latka Denge” [1, 2]. This phrase, which translates to a threat of being hung upside down, was allegedly used to pressure owners into cancelling scheduled events for the Cockroach Janta Party [1, 2].
The party founder said these threats led directly to the cancellation of several meetings in Delhi [1, 2]. According to Dipke, the goal of these warnings was to restrict the party's ability to organize and conduct its political activities [1, 2].
Dipke also addressed the broader treatment of political dissidents, including student protesters [2]. He said the youth have the power to change the government, but warned against the targeting of those who protest [2].
The claims were made public on a Tuesday [1, 2]. While the Cockroach Janta Party continues to seek platforms for its messaging, the reported intimidation of third-party vendors creates a logistical barrier for the group's operations in Delhi [1, 2].
“Venue owners were threatened with the phrase 'Ulta Latka Denge' if they allowed CJP meetings.”
The allegations by the Cockroach Janta Party point to a strategy of 'indirect censorship,' where the state or affiliated actors do not ban a party outright but instead intimidate the private infrastructure required for that party to function. By targeting venue owners rather than the politicians themselves, the pressure is shifted to civilians who are more vulnerable to threats, effectively neutralizing the party's ability to gather without the need for formal legal prohibitions.
