International Desk – The “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP) has staged a major demonstration at New Delhi’s historic Jantar Mantar observatory, demanding the immediate resignation of India’s Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan.
According to reports by The Indian Express, Delhi Police granted permission for the protest directly after the group’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke, arrived in Delhi from the United States on Saturday.
Immediately after clearing immigration formalities at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, the young leader was surrounded by 10 to 15 uniform and plainclothes police officials.
On Saturday morning, Dipke issued a public appeal on social media urging all incoming protestors to peacefully carry a book and the Indian national flag to the demonstration site.
The protest was organized to voice strong outrage over the recent NEET-UG examination paper leak scandals and deep-rooted corruption inside the national education framework, with demonstrators relentlessly chanting for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to step down.
Massive Security Blanket Deployed across New Delhi
To avert any untoward incidents and maintain public order, the Delhi Police deployed nearly 2,000 security personnel across New Delhi. Security networks have been drastically tightened outside the official residences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Earlier on Friday, the Delhi High Court explicitly declined an urgent hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought proactive preventative guidelines to stall or ban the youth protest.
From a Courtroom Satire to a 22-Million Strong Movement
The genesis of the “Cockroach Janta Party” stems from a viral online satirical movement. During a Supreme Court hearing, Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant drew a metaphor comparing certain unemployed youths with fake professional degrees to cockroaches.
The judge’s remarks instantly sparked heavy criticism and volcanic debate across social media, giving birth to a highly organized satirical pushback.
What started as an internet campaign rapidly snowballed into a massive online community. The group claims to command millions of supporters across digital networks, boasting over 22.2 million followers on Instagram alone. Prominent public figures, including renowned climate activist and social worker Sonam Wangchuk alongside veteran actor Prakash Raj, have already expressed solidarity with the movement.
“We are entirely cooperating with the Delhi Police and central security agencies to maintain total law and order. We anticipate that our entire demonstration will conclude completely peacefully.”
— CJP Spokesperson, talking to The Indian Express