New Delhi, 06 June— Midst widespread disbelief over Delhi Police granting permission to hold protest at Jantar Mantar, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke today gave an ultimatum to the government, saying that his outfit would hold protests across India if Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan does not resign by 5 PM today.
With no resignation coming, the day long peaceful and disciplined protest ended with Dipke leaving the venue and promising to continue with protests in other parts of the country.
While addressing supporters during CJP’s massive protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Dipke warned that protests would be organised across cities, while also announcing plans for another major protest at the same venue on June 13.
“My friends, this is a long struggle. It has been a month since we started demanding Pradhan’s resignation on social media, but these individuals are so shameless that instead of taking action, they have been focused on other distractions, like hacking our accounts and getting our posts deleted. You may be able to delete our posts, but you cannot erase us from this space,” Dipke stated during his address to the crowd, which energetically supported his words
Renowned scientist and social activist Sonam Wangchuk was also present alongside Dipke during the protest. Wangchuk strongly backed the youth-led protest under the banner of the Cockroach Janata Party. He demanded Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Earlier, on Friday, said he would undertake a six-week fast if Dipke is arrested.
Earlier in the day, Dipke arrived in India holding a copy of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar’s book. His party was granted permission for the protest and he went straight to the Jantar Mantar. The CJP leader said his mother had been deeply worried that he could be jailed because of his political activism and criticism of the government.
Dwelling upon the last decade of Indian politics, the CJP founder said “For the last 10-12 years we have been trapped in Hindu-Muslim politics. Did it get a job for anyone? Who benefited from all this? I am ready to sacrifice my freedom for the cause”.
“My mother was very scared that this government would throw me in jail. In this country, every mother feels this fear when their child raises their voice against this government,” Dipke said.
“How long will we live in fear of this government?” he asked.
School students, college-goers, competitive exam aspirants and parents were among those who gathered at Jantar Mantar here on Saturday for a protest organised by the supporters of the CJP, with many saying concerns over the education system had brought them to the demonstration.
The crowds that started assembling from Saturday morning, kept swelling through the day.
Thousands of CJP supporters had already gathered at the venue, many with a book and a flower in their hands, and chanted slogans against the Education Minister Pradhan.
The protesters were holding posters that read ‘Dharmendra Pradhan Istifa Do’ (Dharmendra Pradhan, resign). Some of them were also wearing ‘Cockroach’ masks.
Addressing the gathering, Wangchuk said that the demand for Pradhan’s resignation was just the beginning and suggested that the CJP would continue to fight for reforms in the education system in the country.
Our primary objective is to reform the education system as a whole. Exam irregularities and paper leaks are merely symptoms of a much deeper problem. The entire system requires comprehensive reforms to ensure transparency, accountability, and quality education for all,” he added.
Pradhan is under pressure from several quarters after the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and subsequent suicides of several aspirants. Moreover, alleged discrepancies in CBSE class 12th results have also added to the situation.
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties have also extended their support to the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest and Deepke’s demand for Pradhan’s resignation.
Several members of Left student outfits All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) are in attendance at Cockroach Janta Party’s protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said the Centre must listen to the youth who are protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam-related lapses and should not underestimate them.
In a post on Facebook, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut put out Thackeray’s message which said youth are the future of the country and they are protesting in scorching heat. It is improper to deny them justice and address them as “cockroach”.
The NEET paper leak has destroyed lives of lakhs of youth and they are protesting, the former Maharashtra chief minister said.
“The government has to listen the voice of youth and should not underestimate the cockroach. The is the signal given by the protestors at Jantar Mantar,” Thackeray said.
NCP(SP) general secretary Rohit Pawar on Saturday extended support to the agitation led by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against alleged irregularities in the NEET and CBSE examinations.
The Congress is studying the situation closely and is not rushing to support it because it feels that the ruling establishment may try to use its support to malign and defame the CJP.
Observers and informed sources said that the Modi government has avoided to take a confrontational course with the CJP as it had done earlier with other popular protests and agitations like the farmers protests because the powers that be feel that the CJP phenomenon must be studied before deciding the final course of dealing with it.
Veteran Journalist and Political Commentator
