CJP's Abhijeet Dipke dismisses funding row, reveals Boston University scholarship details

Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has strongly pushed back against allegations regarding the financing of his higher education in the United States, revealing that his studies were supported by a university scholarship and an ongoing education loan.

The clarification comes in the wake of a formal complaint filed by Surat-based RTI activist Amit Tiwari, who sought a probe into the financial assets of Dipke's father, a retired junior engineer with the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).

Tiwari had publicly questioned how a government employee with a reported monthly salary of ₹60,000 to ₹65,000 could afford to send his son to study in the US.

In an interview with senior journalist Barkha Dutt, the 30-year-old CJP leader dismissed suggestions of unexplained family wealth and labeled the scrutiny as politically motivated.

"I received a scholarship from Boston University, and for the remaining amount, I took an education loan. It is still pending and has to be repaid," Dipke stated during the interview. "The fight is not personal."

To substantiate his claims, Dipke shared documents detailing his financial aid. According to the records, Boston University awarded him a Dean's Scholarship worth $12,500 per semester for three semesters, totaling $37,500, to pursue his Master of Science degree in Public Relations from the College of Communication.

Scrutiny follows major protests

The sudden focus on Dipke’s personal finances follows the CJP's highly visible role in recent national protests.

Dipke returned to India in June and quickly became the face of the massive student agitations at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. The protests, which centered on alleged irregularities and paper leaks in the NEET-UG 2026 examinations, ultimately contributed to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The RTI activist, Amit Tiwari, has also expanded his inquiries beyond Dipke's education. He has filed complaints with the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the CJP's legal status, and with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) regarding the tax implications of a ₹1 crore legal defense fund pledged by Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal for arrested protesters.

CJP defends future funding plans

During the interview, Dipke also addressed the broader questions surrounding the CJP's operational funding during the recent Parliament march and sit-ins. He maintained that the movement was largely sustained by the spontaneous support of citizens.

"We will raise funds through crowd-funding," Dipke said regarding the party's future operations, promising complete transparency. He noted that during the protests, ordinary people voluntarily arrived to distribute water and food to the demonstrating students.

CJP spokesperson Vaishnavi Gaur also weighed in on the controversy, suggesting a double standard in the scrutiny. "If anyone has the right to question the education of a private individual, they should show equal enthusiasm for cases like the PM CARES Fund," Gaur stated, echoing the party's stance that the current complaints are designed to distract from the core issues of educational reform.

Dipke concluded by expressing his hope that the Maharashtra government would withdraw police cases against the protesting students, stating, "They have done nothing wrong — they were only fighting for gtheir future."