What was projected as a “peaceful” Parliament march by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has ended not only in violence on the streets of Delhi but also in serious allegations of misinformation allegedly spread by the organisation and amplified by sections of the media.
On July 20, as thousands of protesters marched towards Parliament, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das claimed on social media that the Narendra Modi government had reached out to the organisation for talks. The announcement appeared to suggest that the Centre had acknowledged the protest and was willing to negotiate at the highest level.
Das posted that he and Ashutosh Ranka were on their way to meet BJP national president JP Nadda after the government had allegedly contacted them that morning.
“It’s 11:52 AM. Ashutosh Ranka and I, on behalf of the Cockroach Janta Party, are on our way to meet J.P. Nadda. The government had reached out for talks in the morning. Our demands are clear. The youth has gathered in huge numbers.”
The claim quickly gained traction on social media and was picked up by several journalists and media organisations, giving the impression that the Centre had initiated dialogue under pressure from the protest.
Among those who circulated the claim was The Hindu’s Vijaita Singh, who cited unnamed “sources” to report that the government had opened communication channels with CJP leaders.
According to her post, the government had allegedly offered talks first with the District Magistrate, then with...
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