'Businesses don't suffer because of peaceful protests': CJP's Abhijeet Dipke on Delhi traders' complaints

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday said that business do not suffer losses due to peaceful protests but when the government decides to shut down an entire city. In a social media post, Dipke said that the CJP has made it clear that it will follow Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of peace and non-violence ever since its inception. 

His post came after the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA) requested political parties and agitators to hold demonstrations away from Connaught Place since protests over the past 3 weeks impacted sales and disrupted normal life. The traders' association also approached the Supreme Court over the march at 5 pm today. 

"Businesses do not suffer because of peaceful protests. They suffer when the govt decides to shut down an entire city, suspend internet services and restrict the movement of its own citizens and turn the city into a war-zone. Since its inception, the Cockroach Janta Party has maintained that we will always follow Gandhi’s path of peace and non-violence, and we have stood by that commitment," Dipke wrote. 

Abhijeet Dipke added that demanding accountability from the government and protesting against injustice were fundamental democratic rights.

He added that the CJP organised protests in Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Nagpur and every single one of those protests has been peaceful. He said that he chose not to respond violently despite being personally assaulted in Jaipur. 

"We would rather exercise the rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution, drafted under the leadership of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, than resort to physical force. Our strength comes from our commitment to constitutional values, and no amount of provocation will make us abandon them," the CJP founder said. 

He accused the ruling party of hypocrisy vis-a-vis its stance on protests. Dipke wrote, "The very party that is in power today spent decades organising protests, taking to the streets and questioning the governments of the day when it was in opposition. Had the same restrictions, intimidation and police crackdowns been used against them, many of those who occupy positions of power today might never have reached where they are. It is deeply hypocritical to celebrate protests as a democratic right when you are in opposition and treat the same act as a threat to public order when you come to power."

Traders approach Supreme Court

The NDTA said in its appeal on Thursday that the protests by CJP and INDI alliance over the past 3 weeks impacted shopkeepers, waiters, drivers, vendors and other workers dependent on businesses in CP. It said road closures and traffic diversions made commuting a challenge for shoppers and tourists alike. 

The Supreme Court on Friday said that it would invoke its constitutional tort jurisdiction to award compensation if protests disproportionately thwart traders and daily wage earners from earning their livelihoods. CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said that they hope that "better sense will prevail" and that the interests of the protestors, traders and authorities would be balanced. 

“If there is loss of business, if it is unlawful to your clients, we will exercise our powers under constitutional tort jurisdiction. Let’s cross that bridge when it comes,” Justice Bagchi told advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, who represented the traders’ association.

Markets legally open but...

In a previous appeal, the traders have said that they have faced losses worth ₹2,000 crore already due to the barricading and protests. Citing several directions given by the top court over regulating protests, the traders argued that October to February is the "best time for business" since it is festive season, which is affected by the protests. 

The Khan Market Traders Association has said that the protests are impacting people's livelihoods. Sanjeev Mehra, President of the Khan Market Traders Association, has said that while markets are legally open, they are effectively "at a standstill". 

Speaking to ANI, Mehra said, "For the past few days, business has been taking a hit because of these protests. The police have set up a perimeter to stop the protestors, which starts one km before our market. Due to this, our customers are having a lot of trouble getting around. The market is open, but there are no customers and the business is completely at a standstill. We are only able to do about 10% to 20% of our business." 

Delhi turned into a fortress

CJP’s proposed march has prompted a major security deployment across central Delhi, with over 6,000 police personnel, 220 companies of Central Armed Police Forces and an expanded CCTV network, PTI reported. Central Park will remain closed on October 16 and 17, while police have imposed prohibitory orders on gatherings in Connaught Place, which is not a designated protest site.

CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke had earlier alleged that police were keeping watch at his residence and said he was prepared to go to jail for waving the national flag. The march comes amid the party’s demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise. The agitation intensified after CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to judicial custody following their detention at Jantar Mantar on October 13.