AAP accuses Congress of running parallel movement to undermine CJP student protest
Synopsis
AAP's Delhi chief Saurabh Bhardwaj has accused Congress of staging a 'parallel movement' outside the PM's residence to co-opt — and quietly undermine — the CJP-led student agitation at Jantar Mantar. With Sonam Wangchuk's wife publicly calling the Gandhi-led sit-in 'insincere', the student protest's political ownership is now as contested as its demands.
Key Takeaways
AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj accused Congress on 23 July of orchestrating a 'parallel movement' to weaken the CJP -led student protest at Jantar Mantar .
Bhardwaj alleged Congress intended to dismiss the CJP stir as a 'social media bubble' before staging its own 'concert-like events' to project Rahul Gandhi as a youth champion.
AAP had earlier accused both Congress and BJP of a 'jugalbandi' to hijack and dilute the CJP protest.
Gitanjali Angmo , wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk , called the sit-in outside the PM's residence 'insincere', saying it should have been held at Jantar Mantar .
The fresh row was triggered by a Congress influencer's claim that Sonam Wangchuk and his wife were 'agents' of the RSS .
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bhardwaj on 23 July accused the Indian National Congress (Congress) of deliberately orchestrating a rival mobilisation to dilute the student agitation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and its founder Abhijeet Dipke at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Bhardwaj alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi engineered a 'parallel movement' to project himself as a sympathiser while simultaneously undermining the CJP-led stir.
What AAP Alleged
Bhardwaj charged that the Congress party's primary intent was to dismiss the CJP protest as a 'social media bubble', mock its leadership, and then stage 'concert-like events' to position Rahul Gandhi as a youth champion. He argued that thousands of students had gathered at Jantar Mantar to back the CJP's demands, but Congress chose to set up a rival sit-in outside the Prime Minister's residence rather than join the existing agitation.
Targeting what he called the 'Congress ecosystem' of reel makers, influencers, and trolls, Bhardwaj claimed their mass mobilisation had 'turned out to be a damp squib' and had effectively reverted to 'Phase 1' — the starting point of the entire controversy.
The CJP Protest and Political Fault Lines
AAP had earlier accused both Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of a 'jugalbandi' — a coordinated effort — to strip the CJP protest of its momentum and hijack its narrative. The party reasoned that while the CJP faced stiff resistance from the government at Jantar Mantar, the Gandhi family was reportedly permitted to hold a sit-in outside the PM's residence without similar obstruction.
This comes amid a broader rift between AAP and Congress, two parties that contested recent elections as alliance partners in some states, suggesting the student protests have exposed deeper political fault lines between them.
Sonam Wangchuk's Wife Weighs In
The latest escalation was further fuelled by remarks from Gitanjali Angmo, wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who publicly questioned the sincerity of the Rahul Gandhi-led demonstration. Speaking on a television debate, she said: 'The protest outside the PM's residence lacked sincerity. It would have been meaningful had it happened at Jantar Mantar. This is an awakened India; the public can't be fooled by anyone.'
Angmo also cautioned that India's youth could no longer be misled by what she described as 'insincere and opportunist' political manoeuvring.
What Triggered the Fresh Escalation
According to Bhardwaj, the immediate trigger for AAP's renewed attack was a remark by a prominent Congress social media influencer who insinuated that Sonam Wangchuk and his wife were 'agents' of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and were 'batting for the Sangh.' AAP viewed the allegation as an attempt to delegitimise independent voices supporting the student movement.
Congress supporters hit back, with some publicly urging Bhardwaj to leave AAP and join Congress, calling him a 'sensible man' — an exchange that underscored the increasingly personal tenor of the political dispute.
What Comes Next
With both AAP and Congress now trading public barbs over the CJP-led student movement, the protest's political ownership has become as contested as its demands. Whether the CJP can sustain momentum independent of party backing — and whether the student agitation retains credibility amid the partisan crossfire — will be closely watched in the days ahead.
Point of View
But it also deflects scrutiny from AAP's own track record on youth and student issues in Delhi. The more significant signal is Gitanjali Angmo's intervention — an independent voice, not a party functionary, calling out political opportunism. If the CJP protest is to retain credibility, it will need to distance itself from all party capture, including from those who claim to be its defenders.
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar about?
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by founder Abhijeet Dipke, has been running a student agitation at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The protest has drawn thousands of young students and become a flashpoint for political rivalry between AAP and Congress over who genuinely supports the movement.
Why is AAP accusing Congress of running a 'parallel movement'?
AAP's Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged that Congress, rather than joining the existing CJP protest at Jantar Mantar, chose to organise a separate sit-in outside the Prime Minister's residence. He claimed this was designed to project Rahul Gandhi as a youth sympathiser while actually weakening the original student agitation.
What did Sonam Wangchuk's wife say about the Congress protest?
Gitanjali Angmo, wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk, said on a television debate that the protest outside the PM's residence 'lacked sincerity' and would have been meaningful only if held at Jantar Mantar. She cautioned that India's youth could not be 'fooled by anyone.'
What triggered the latest escalation between AAP and Congress?
The immediate trigger was a remark by a prominent Congress social media influencer who alleged that Sonam Wangchuk and his wife were 'agents' of the RSS. AAP's Bhardwaj responded by accusing the Congress ecosystem of attempting to delegitimise independent voices backing the student movement.
Have AAP and Congress clashed over student protests before?
This latest dispute is part of a broader and deepening rift between AAP and Congress. AAP had previously accused both Congress and BJP of a 'jugalbandi' to strip the CJP protest of its momentum, noting that the CJP faced government resistance at Jantar Mantar while the Gandhi family's sit-in near the PM's residence reportedly proceeded without similar obstruction.
