CJP founder says ‘Agitation will continue’; ups pressure on Pradhan’s resignation

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday said the party would continue its agitation over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.

Speaking to reporters after returning to his residence in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Dipke claimed that the protest organised by the CJP at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday had witnessed the participation of around 6,000 to 7,000 people. He said the movement would be expanded across the country and asserted that the party would not retreat from its demand for Pradhan’s resignation.

Dipke said the youth-led online campaign, which has been seeking accountability over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests such as NEET, CBSE, CUET and SSC, was preparing a broader action plan to take the agitation nationwide, The New Indian Express reported.

After arriving at his residence in the MIDC Waluj area on Sunday morning, Dipke was welcomed by family members amid heightened security arrangements. Police officials said security at his residence had been strengthened, with the number of deployed personnel increased from 11 to 15, drawing staff from both the local police station and the city police headquarters.

Hundreds of protesters had gathered at Jantar Mantar on Saturday demanding the education minister’s resignation over the alleged examination and recruitment irregularities. Dipke, who arrived in Delhi from the United States carrying a copy of B.R. Ambedkar’s autobiography, addressed the gathering after obtaining police permission for the event.

Participants carried placards calling for Pradhan’s resignation, wore cockroach masks distributed at the venue, and raised slogans against what they described as Hindu-Muslim politics while also chanting “Bharat Mata ki Jai”.

At a press conference in New Delhi, CJP spokespersons said they would give the Centre one week to either remove Pradhan from office or allow him to resign voluntarily. They warned that the agitation would be intensified and expanded nationwide if no action was taken.

The CJP, which began as an online campaign in May and claims to have more than 22 million Instagram followers, mobilised young people for the Delhi protest as a demonstration of support for its demands. The protest was also attended by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI leader Annie Raja and activists associated with Left student and other youth organisations.