The viral Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) is all set to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on June 6. Its founder, Abhijit Dipke, said earlier this week that he will return to Delhi from the US and participate in the protest. Since the announcement, a few celebrities and activists have said they will join the protest to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the controversy involving competitive examinations.
Here's what we know so far bout the CJP protest:
1. Coakroach Janta Party's (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke is set to return to India on June 6 (Saturday) to lead a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of the Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid ongoing concerns over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.
“…thousands of voices demanding education Minister Resignation and student justice,” the CJP said in a post on X.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said upon landing in Delhi at 8 AM on June 6, Dipke, who is pursuing higher education in the US, will head to Delhi's Parliament Street Police Station to seek permission for the proposed demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
2. The proposed demonstration comes against the backdrop of continuing controversy surrounding the NEET-UG examination cycle, including allegations of paper leaks, administrative lapses, and delays in the conduct of exams. Questions have also been raised about CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system.
3. The satirical party held its first press conference at the Constitution Club of India on Wednesday, appealing to young people from across the country to participate in the proposed protest.
"We have given an open call. Anybody can join us without a party banner. We are ready to have a dialogue with everybody, be it those in power or the Opposition," CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said.
"We are demanding accountability in the system. We have been demanding the resignation of the education minister, but no action has been taken against him till date," he said.
"The transfers are being projected as action. It's not. There's a rot in the system," Das said, while dismissing the government's transfer of CBSE chairperson Rahul Singh and secretary Himanshu Gupta on Tuesday as an "eyewash".
4. Ladakh and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, and actor Prakash Raj have expressed solidarity with the CJP. On Thursday, Wangchuk wrote on X, “READY FOR 6th JUNE... Armed with nothing but PEACE & LOVE Use of force if any, must not be from our side! Even if it means Jail... HAR EK KO ZINDAGI MEI EIK BAR JAIL JANA CHAHIYE NOT FOR A CRIME BUT FOR A CAUSE...!”
Prakash Raj also said on Thursday, “Trying to reach there on 6th to show my solidarity to the most relevant Cockroach movement...since i am too far away shooting a film (a prior commitment). Trying my best to be there . Requesting all young cockroachs to crawl there...”
5. Referring to the possibility of police action against Dipke upon his return, another CJP spokesperson Vijeta Dahiya was quoted by PTI as saying, "If Sonam Wangchuk could be arrested, Dipke could be arrested as well. If he's arrested, more people will rally behind us."
Meanwhile, founder Dipke told PTI that while he has apprehension that he may be arrested upon his return to India, he believes that his planned protest is protected under constitutional guarantees of free expression and peaceful assembly.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is not a real political party but a youth-driven social media movement which has called for the protest at Jantar Mantar. The party, launched as a "joke", gained traction since its launch last month, with many public figures subscribing to it.
