The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by founder Abhijeet Dipke, announced on Thursday the launch of a nationwide campaign addressing alleged examination irregularities. The movement is set to culminate in a major protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 20, where demonstrators will remain until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
Press Conference in Pune
Addressing a press conference in Pune, Dipke stated that the group would release its education manifesto later in the day, alongside a peaceful protest on the campus of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU). Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk is also expected to participate in the event.
"We are starting our nationwide protest from SPPU today. The protest will be peaceful and within the framework of the Constitution. Today, we will also release our education manifesto," Dipke said.
Key Focus of the Manifesto
According to Dipke, the manifesto focuses on several critical issues:
- Preventing question paper leaks
- Ensuring timely declaration of examination results
- Improving transparency in recruitment and entrance examinations
- Strengthening accountability of examination authorities
- Addressing hardships faced by students due to delays and irregularities in examinations
Nationwide Campaign Route
Dipke explained that the campaign would travel through several cities, including Jaipur, Lucknow, Amritsar, and Bengaluru, before converging at Jantar Mantar on June 20. "We will not return until we get the resignation of the education minister, who is responsible for jeopardising the future of more than one crore students," he claimed.
Open to Dialogue
Dipke said the group was open to dialogue with the government but alleged that instead of engaging with its concerns, authorities had suspended CJP's social media accounts. "CJP is a message for the country. The government cannot ignore the youth. Instead of calling us fake, it should try to understand the issues and problems faced by young people," he said.
Background of the Campaign
The group has gained visibility in recent weeks through social media campaigns focused on examination-related issues and has sought to position itself as a youth-led platform advocating reforms in the education sector.
On June 6, CJP organised a protest at Jantar Mantar, where students and young people from different parts of the country gathered to demand accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and seek Pradhan's resignation. The June 20 mobilisation is expected to be the culmination of the group's nationwide outreach campaign.
