Centre Calls CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke For Hearing Over Blocked X Account Amid Ongoing Protest

New Delhi, June 23: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke to appear before an Inter-Ministerial Committee on June 24 in connection with his appeal against the blocking of the party's original X account.

The development comes at a time when Dipke is continuing his protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where he has been demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan since June 20.

According to a CJP source, Dipke has been asked to be physically present at Electronics Niketan, MeitY’s headquarters, for the hearing scheduled on Wednesday afternoon, The Hindu reports.

Protest And Hearing Collide

The summons has added a fresh dimension to the ongoing standoff surrounding Dipke’s protest. A CJP source described the move as a “fresh escalation”, pointing to recent actions by Delhi Police at the designated protest site near Jantar Mantar.

Dipke has alleged that access to food and water at the protest venue has been repeatedly disrupted. He has also complained about interruptions in running water facilities at washrooms in the area, raising concerns about conditions at the protest site.

Appeal Against Account Blocking

The hearing relates to an administrative appeal filed by Dipke after the government's decision to block the party's original X handle on May 21. Nearly a month later, the reasons behind the action remain unclear.

Despite the restriction, Dipke quickly launched a second X account for the party. According to the information available, the new handle has already surpassed the original account's follower count and continues to operate without restrictions. The party's Instagram account, which reportedly has more than 2 crore followers, has also remained unaffected.

Wider Questions On Online Restrictions

The account was withheld under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, a provision that allows the government to block online content under specific circumstances. The case has drawn attention because the original account remains blocked even as the party continues to maintain a significant presence on other social media platforms.

The CJP case is also unfolding amid a broader wave of Section 69A actions. In recent weeks, several independent journalists, media organisations and commentators have reportedly faced takedown orders. Some platforms, including 4PM News, have been restricted more than once. Courts have, at times, intervened by reversing account-level restrictions while allowing legal proceedings related to individual posts or videos to continue.

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As Dipke prepares to appear before the committee, the hearing is likely to be closely watched as a test of the government’s appeals process for social media account restrictions, particularly at a time when debates over online speech and platform regulation remain in sharp focus.

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