A public exchange over alleged foreign funding of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has sparked a debate over political criticism and foreign involvement in India’s internal affairs.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday questioned why Americans were being drawn into a dispute involving Indians after singer Mary Millben alleged that the party was receiving financial support from US-based donors opposed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Why is Modi seeking the support of Americans to discredit his own countrymen?” Dipke wrote in a post on X. He also questioned the right of foreign nationals to interfere in India’s internal matters, arguing that Indians could address their own issues without outside involvement.
Dipke’s response came hours after Millben published her allegations and urged young Indians to organise peaceful protests against the party.
What Mary Millben Said About CJP
In her post, Millben named Dipke and the Cockroach Janta Party, alleging that US-based donors opposed to Modi and his leadership were funding the organisation. She called on young Indians to speak out against the party and take part in what she described as a movement to protect democracy and freedom.
Millben also alleged that some donors followed a pattern of supporting individuals educated in the US, who later returned to their home countries and received financial backing to create disruption.
She claimed that such efforts could affect a country’s development and governance. However, these were allegations made in her social media post, and the information provided does not independently establish that CJP received such funding.
Millben described Modi as a leader who had served India for 25 years, including 12 years as Prime Minister, and had been elected for three consecutive terms. She said he would not give in to what she called disruptive forces operating from the United States.
She ended her post by urging young Indians to organise and peacefully protest against CJP.
Millben’s Previous Support for Modi
Millben has previously expressed support for the Prime Minister. When Modi completed 25 years in public service, she described him as a “shining beacon of the Indian dream” and called for unity across communities.
In August, she also criticised those opposing an upcoming event at Madison Square Garden featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Her latest remarks have brought her support for Modi into focus alongside her allegations against CJP.
Earlier Questions Over CJP’s Funding
Questions about the party’s finances had also surfaced earlier this year. A Surat-based RTI activist sought an investigation into the finances of Bhagwanrao Dipke, Abhijeet Dipke’s father, questioning how his income as a junior engineer could have supported his son’s higher education in the United States.
Abhijeet Dipke responded that he had funded his education through a combination of a scholarship from Boston University and an education loan.
The latest exchange has brought the question of CJP’s alleged foreign funding back into public discussion, with Millben calling for opposition to the party and Dipke questioning the involvement of foreign nationals in Indian affairs.
