Cockroach Janta Party protest: A look at the education of Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka

The Cockroach Janta Party has drawn national attention following its protest movement over alleged NEET paper leak and examination irregularities. As the organisation gains prominence, public interest has also turned to its key leaders, including Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. 

Anjali Thakur
Updated23 Jul 2026, 08:54 PM IST
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On Cam: PM Modi's 2nd Special Message On Paper Leaks Amid Student Protests| CJP,NEET

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has emerged as one of the country's most talked-about social media movements following its call for protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over the alleged NEET paper leak and demands for education reforms. As the demonstrations gained momentum and attracted heightened attention from Delhi Police and security agencies, public curiosity has also grown about the people leading the movement.

Here is a look at the educational qualifications and professional backgrounds of CJP's three prominent spokespersons—Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka.

Abhijeet Dipke: Journalism graduate with a master's from Boston University

The Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical online platform, has witnessed rapid growth on social media. The page has a massive 25.6 million followers on Instagram.

The initiative was started by Abhijeet Dipke, reportedly after comments linked to Chief Justice Surya Kant, in which some unemployed youth were compared to "cockroaches", triggered widespread criticism online.

Also Read | CJP Protest LIVE: No crackdown planned at Jantar Mantar tonight, says police

Dipke, 30, is a political communication strategist and has become the public face of the movement. Engineer, education reformer and innovator Sonam Wangchuk later joined Dipke and began a hunger strike demanding accountability over the alleged NEET paper leak.

Dipke studied journalism in Pune before moving to the United States for higher studies. He recently completed a Master's degree in Public Relations from Boston University and has said that he is currently looking for job opportunities.

Between 2020 and 2023, Dipke worked with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), where he handled social media strategy and election campaigns. During the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, he was reportedly involved in meme-based digital campaigns aimed at engaging young voters and communicating political messages.

Saurav Das: Journalism graduate from Amity University

Saurav Das serves as the chief spokesperson of the Cockroach Janta Party.

Also Read | BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi condemns police action on CJP protesters

According to the organisation, he is an investigative journalist who has reported extensively on legal, judicial and social issues. He was also associated with the anti-pollution protest held at India Gate in November 2025.

Das holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity University, where he studied between 2016 and 2019.

Ashutosh Ranka: IIT Kanpur alumnus with LSE degree

The third spokesperson of the organisation, Ashutosh Ranka, comes from an engineering and public policy background.

According to the organisation, Ranka has experience in consulting and public-interest campaigns. He completed his B.Tech in Engineering from IIT Kanpur, one of India's premier engineering institutes.

He later pursued a Master's degree in Public Administration from the London School of Economics (LSE), UK.

Also Read | NEET row: Uddhav, Raj announce Mumbai protest on Sunday with no political flags

Ranka has also worked with McKinsey & Company in London, where he gained experience in consulting and global policy-related work.

As the Cockroach Janta Party's protests continue to draw national attention, the educational and professional backgrounds of its key spokespersons have also come under public focus alongside the movement's demands for accountability over alleged examination irregularities.

About the Author

Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.

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