Crowds, slogans, anger – but did Cockroach Janata Party achieve anything in its first show of strength?
A day-long protest by the CJP at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar ended with a large crowd demanding action over the NEET paper leak issue and calling for accountability in the education system.
by Tarique Anwar · Zee NewsNew Delhi: A day-long protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar by the self-styled Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) came to a close on Saturday (June 6) evening as thousands of supporters dispersed after hours of speeches, slogans and political demands revolving around the NEET paper leak controversy and calls for accountability in India’s education system.
The gathering gained momentum after CJP founder Abhijit Deepke arrived in the city from the United States early in the day. As he landed at the airport, he publicly demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET examination irregularities, citing reported student suicides.
Deepke had earlier announced on social media that the Delhi Police had granted permission for the protest at Jantar Mantar, which helped mobilise supporters from different parts of the capital and nearby regions.
The movement began as an online satirical campaign after alleged remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Suryakant, who had purportedly compared activists, journalists and unemployed youths to cockroaches. What began as online anger soon spread across social media, where it gained support and reached lakhs of followers in about two weeks.
Large turnout at Jantar Mantar
By the time Deepke reached Jantar Mantar, the protest site had already filled with a large crowd. Estimates placed the gathering at around 2,000-3,000 people, with numbers increasing through the afternoon.
Addressing supporters, he said, “For the past 5 to 10 days, people had been asking me what could be achieved by running a page on social media. Turn the camera around and show them how many ‘cockroaches’ have come out of their homes and gathered at Jantar Mantar.”
“In just a day or two, we will have millions of students with us. The Cockroach Janata Party is not a planned political party. It is the voice of every student who is unhappy with the government,” he added.
Raising broader political concerns, he said, “For the past 10-12 years, they have trapped us in the politics of Hindu and Muslim. Who has benefited from this? Has anyone in the country got jobs by indulging this divisive politics?”
Sharing personal fears arising from political dissent, he stated, “My mother was afraid that this government would put me in jail. In this country, every mother feels that fear when her child speaks against the government. How long will we live in fear of this government?”
Youth anger around NEET issue
The protest witnessed visible participation from young students and education activists. Several students questioned the state of the examination system, saying that authorities were unable to conduct major national-level tests without irregularities, even though the future of millions depends on them.
Environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk was also seen joining the gathering.
Political reactions to the protest
Political reactions began to pour in soon after the agitation turned visible. Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav wrote on Facebook, “Let this voice reach the arrogant rulers; now the youth have also brought about a revolution.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray issued a statement saying, “The NEET paper leak has shattered the dreams of millions of young people. All the affected boys and girls are now raising their voices as ‘cockroaches’. The government will have to listen to them. Do not underestimate these ‘cockroaches’. The Jantar Mantar protest has given this warning to the government.”
Supported the permission granted for the protest, Shiv Sena leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote on X, “Perhaps for the first time, the Delhi Police has done the right thing by allowing the CJP to hold the protest.”
Analysts weigh in on the movement
Online debate around the protest also turned to the permission granted for it and what the gathering could suggest about future political activity.
Senior journalist Sharad Gupta described the protest as an expression of frustration with institutional accountability. He said it reminded him of earlier mass movements in Delhi where citizens came out despite difficult conditions to demand justice.
“If there was no public anger, people would not have gathered in the scorching heat to demand the resignation of the education minister. This entire situation reminded me of the time during the ‘Nirbhaya’ case, when people in Delhi came out onto the streets even in severe cold, ignoring water cannons, to demand justice,” he said.
He further said, “This appears to be a protest against the government, but in reality it is a protest against a system that does not allow anyone to take responsibility. From the ruling side, it is often said that this is not a government where ministers resign.”
When asked about the police decision to allow the protest, he said it may have been a way to avoid escalation by giving space to the gathering. “From the Jayaprakash to the VP Singh and even the Anna movements, whenever governments tried to suppress such protests, they only grew stronger. That is why the government appears to have adopted a strategy of allowing the protest to diffuse its intensity.”
On whether an organisation such as the CJP has a political future or could emerge as a major force, Gupta said, “People associated with the Cockroach Janata Party are completely politically inexperienced. Three of their spokespersons have been journalists. If this eventually becomes a political party, that would be a good thing. It may even emerge like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). But at present, I do not see any clear picture of its political future.”