"Highly coordinated, planned attack": CJP activist Ashutosh Ranka alleges assailants were with BJP MLA night before assault

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], August 22 : A day after his team was allegedly assaulted while highlighting the condition of government schools in Rajasthan, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist Ashutosh Ranka on Saturday alleged a planned attack by "goons brought from outside," claiming they were seen with Bagru MLA Kailash Verma hours before the violence and accused the police of remaining absent despite repeated calls.
Speaking to ANI, Ranka said, "The incident that took place yesterday, the assault and violence, goons were brought in from outside. We have already shared photographs of all these individuals on Twitter today. These very people were seen sitting with Kailash Verma, the local MLA, the previous night. The same individuals who engaged in hooliganism in the morning had been sitting with Kailash Verma the night before. It is quite evident that this was a highly coordinated, planned attack; the nature of the stones used suggests they were prepared to kill."
Ranka also accused the police of being absent from the scene despite repeated attempts to contact them.
"The police were completely absent from the scene yesterday, despite our continuous attempts to communicate with them; yet, there was no response. Now, the entire country and the world will watch to see if the Rajasthan Police conducts an impartial investigation into this matter," he said.
He said all videos of the incident have been placed in the public domain and challenged the other side to release any videos they have.
"We have already placed all our videos in the public domain; if the other side has any videos, they should release them as well. But the world will witness whether the Rajasthan Police conducts a fair probe," he added.
Ranka said his legal team and the victims of the assault were present on the spot and a complaint was filed.
"Our legal team was present there yesterday, as were the victims of the assault. We filed our complaint yesterday, and I have been informed that an FIR has been registered. We are not people who get scared, nor are we people who resort to violence or back down. We are fighting a battle to get the school fixed, and we will continue that fight with the same determination," he told ANI.
Targeting Education Minister Madan Dilawar, Ranka said, "Madan Dilawar has essentially shot himself in the foot. Now, the entire country will witness the deplorable state of schools across Rajasthan. They will face humiliation. We are not the kind of people to stop, bow down, or be intimidated. I myself will visit the schools again in the near future. The issue will no longer be limited to just schools; the demand will shift directly to Madan Dilawar's resignation. You have failed to perform your duties effectively," he added.
Earlier in the day, Ranka alleged that Rajasthan Police is resorting to "scare tactics", claiming 15 policemen from Pratap Nagar Police Station were stationed outside his volunteer's house.
In a post on X, Ranka said, "15 policemen from Pratap Nagar Police Station are standing outside our volunteer's house. They are enquiring about my family and me."
He further said, "Dear Rajasthan Police, you are more than welcome to come to my house and ask me everything directly. Even arrest me if you feel the need. But if you think these scare tactics will work, you haven't followed the events of Jantar Mantar."
The allegation comes a day after tensions escalated sharply in Rajasthan's education sector on Friday, following a violent confrontation in Rampura Kanwarpura, Jaipur district, where a visiting delegation of the CJP was allegedly ambushed.
Following the incident, Jaipur Police said FIRs have been registered on behalf of both parties.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Lalit Sharma stated that complaints were received from both the villagers and the workers associated with the CJP, based on which the FIRs were registered.
Meanwhile, according to the CJP, team members attempting to inspect a local government school, which reportedly operates out of a makeshift shed, were met with mob violence.
Speaking to ANI from the scene, Ranka slammed the administration and state leadership, calling it a pre-planned attack by "BJP goons" with police inaction, and demanded arrests within 48 hours and withdrawal of the Education Ministry's order.
"The entire country saw BJP's hooliganism live today. Stone pelting was already happening there, but the Police remained mute spectators. Police said that they won't do anything. This has been done at the behest of Madan Dilawar. Our volunteers had their hands broken. Our vehicles have been vandalised. There was stone pelting here. Elderly people pelted stones at the women in our team and broke their phones. This was pre-planned. All these goons should be arrested within 48 hours and withdraw the order; otherwise, this protest will expand from education to Madan Dilwar now... You should be ashamed of yourself. The school has been running in a buffalo shed for a year now; we want to get it repaired. BJP goons were present there... This is a black day in the democracy of Rajasthan," he said.
CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke, in a post on X, also alleged that the Rajasthan Police allowed the incident to take place.
Sharing a visual of a car with a smashed window, Dipke said, "Ashu has been attacked by BJP goons in Rajasthan. Ashu and other volunteers of CJP were beaten up and have been injured. @PoliceRajasthan has allowed this to happen."
The confrontation comes amid political friction in Rajasthan after the Education Ministry, headed by Madan Dilawar, implemented restrictions on unauthorised entry, media access, and filming within government school premises. Opposition parties claim the orders are designed to conceal infrastructure deficiencies across rural state schools, while state officials maintain the restrictions are meant to maintain discipline and ensure student safety.