CJP founder at Jantar Mantar | Photo: PTI
New Delhi: Security was heightened across Delhi ahead of a planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical online movement that has rapidly evolved into a political phenomenon among Gen-Z audiences.
The group, which claims to have 22 million Instagram followers, announced its first offline demonstration at Jantar Mantar, calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over what it described as the mishandling of recent CBSE and NEET examinations, The Wire reported.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke returned to India from Boston before the protest and said he was eager to meet supporters as the movement prepared for a significant test in the real world. Delhi Police granted permission for the demonstration after officials met Dipke at the airport.
The organisation urged participants to gather directly at Jantar Mantar at 10 am rather than assembling at the Parliament Street Police Station. In a social media post, the CJP stated that the protest would begin with the full backing of the Constitution and would focus on demanding Pradhan’s resignation. Dipke was also seen carrying a copy of B.R. Ambedkar’s autobiography upon his arrival.
Education reform advocate and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk had earlier announced that he would join the protest if the education minister did not step down by June 5.
According to reports, more than 1,000 police personnel were designated for deployment across New Delhi, including border points and other strategic locations, as a precautionary measure.
Founded on May 16, the CJP is only 21 days old. What began as an online satirical initiative quickly gained momentum, tapping into growing student frustration over education-related issues and institutional accountability. The movement has since positioned itself as a platform for raising public concerns amid widespread political polarisation and disillusionment.