'I was simply told that...': RJD's Manoj Jha defends assisting CJP in holding presser at Constitution Club

NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha on Thursday confirmed that he assisted the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in holding a presser at the Constitution Club, but added that he was informed only that they wanted to hold a press conference and that he was not told “anything else.”A recommendation letter from a sitting MP is required for press conferences at the Constitution Club."You have seen my letter. If you were to read the contents of my letter, it concerns a journalist with whom I was connected on social media, as well as some of my colleagues from Delhi University who happen to be my seniors. I was informed that they needed to organise a specific event, a press conference, and nothing else," he told reporters.Jha added that he routinely provides recommendation letters to civil society organisations to conduct press conferences at the Constitution Club.He also denied that there was any “motive” behind providing his recommendation letter."I was simply told that they needed to organise an event, and the letter itself states this clearly and unequivocally... I observe that many of my colleagues in the media, without verifying the facts and without even glancing at the actual contents of my letter, are now attributing motives," the Rajya Sabha member, a Delhi University professor, further stated.Jha further refused to comment on the CJP movement, saying he does not offer comments on movements whose ideology lacks clarity.He remarked that one positive outcome of the incident is that if anyone approaches him in the future requesting space, he would now conduct a proper inquiry before issuing a recommendation letter.In the press conference on Wednesday, CJP, an online satirical platform, announced that on Saturday it will hold a protest at Jantar Mantar—the designated site for demonstrations in the capital—over the recent NEET paper leak and the CBSE online marking issue.Abhijeet Dipke, the “founder” of CJP, will arrive in Delhi at 8 am on the day of the protest. Dipke, who studies in the US, has urged his “supporters” to meet him at the Delhi airport, from where they plan to march to Parliament Street police station to seek permission for their demonstration demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.CJP was formed last month, days after Chief Justice of India (CJI) Suryakant’s remarks calling unemployed youth “cockroaches.” CJI later clarified that he was misquoted and that his comments were taken out of context. He stated that he was referring to those who sneak into noble professions using fake degrees and added that he is “very proud” of India’s youth.Currently, CJP has more than 20 million (2 crore) Instagram followers, more than both the ruling BJP and opposition Congress.