India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
As the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar drew students, youth activists and supporters from across the country on Saturday, questions surfaced over whether the agitation was being backed by political organisations or external funding sources. However, there were no visible signs of organised financial support or large-scale political mobilisation at the protest site.
The demonstration, led by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by Abhijeet Dipke, protested at Jantar Mantar demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over alleged examination irregularities. The group plans a further rally at New Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on June 23.
Unlike conventional political rallies, where participants are often transported in groups through buses and coordinated by local organisers, protesters at Jantar Mantar appeared to be arriving individually using metro services, bike taxis, cabs and personal vehicles. Students, women and young professionals formed a significant portion of the gathering.
There were no visible arrangements such as mass transportation, organised food distribution or logistical support typically associated with large political mobilisations. No evidence had emerged by Saturday afternoon suggesting the involvement of foreign funding or organised attempts to steer the movement away from its stated demands.
The protest gained momentum after Dipke and his associates took the stage carrying a portrait of social reformer Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Dipke addressed the gathering and announced that education reform advocate and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk would be joining the demonstration.
Several members of Left-affiliated student organisations, including the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), were also present at the venue.
During his speech, Dipke accused the Centre of focusing on the outfit’s social media activities instead of responding to its demands.
“It has been a month since we started demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation on social media, but instead of taking action, they have been focused on distractions such as hacking our accounts and getting our posts deleted. You may be able to delete our posts, but you cannot erase us from this space,” he told the crowd.
Seeking to energise supporters, Dipke added: “The youth of the country will no longer fear, they will fight. Cockroaches don’t fear, and they never die either.”
The demonstration witnessed slogans demanding accountability in the education system and reforms in examination and recruitment processes. Organisers maintained that the agitation is a citizen-led movement focused on transparency and justice for students.
Security remained tight across the protest venue, with Delhi Police deploying additional personnel and carrying out drone surveillance around Jantar Mantar. Authorities maintained a strong presence amid heightened public attention surrounding the demonstration.
After Saturday’s programme, the Cockroach Janta Party plans to continue its campaign, with organisers eyeing another major gathering at New Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on June 23.
