CJP Jantar Mantar Protest: What Are The Main Demands Apart From Pradhan's Resignation?

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke returned to India on Saturday morning and launched a major protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged lapses in examinations and recruitment tests. The demonstration, held under heavy security deployment, drew hundreds of participants, predominantly young people. A large crowd of supporters gathered at the protest site, with many wearing cockroach masks and carrying flowers. Several school students attended alongside their parents. Addressing the gathering, Dipke accused the government of ignoring public concerns and attempting to suppress dissent. "My friends, this is a long struggle. It has been a month since we started demanding Pradhan's resignation on social media, but these individuals are so shameless that instead of taking action, they have been focused on other distractions, like hacking our accounts and getting our posts deleted. You may be able to delete our posts, but you cannot erase us from this space," Dipke stated during his address to the crowd, according to news agency PTI. What Are Protesters Demanding? Apart from seeking Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, protesters raised concerns over several issues related to education, examinations and student welfare. Digitalisation In Education Only After Training “We are digitalising everything from banking to education, but are we able to stop the wrong practices? The answer is no. There is rampant bank fraud, and now we are seeing the impact of digitalisation in the education space. I am not against it, but introduce it only after proper assessment and training of teachers,” said 50-year-old Radheshyam Kaithal, the father of three students pursuing higher education in Delhi, told Hindustan Times. Normal Functioning Of Education In Manipur “There’s unrest in Manipur since the past three years. Nothing in my state functions in a normal way, including schools and colleges. Students are under so much distress there,” said 32-year-old Winson, a social entrepreneur who left Manipur two years ago due to the unrest and currently works in Noida. Fairness And Credibility “My cousin was preparing for NEET away from family and in a tiny room in Kota. He was hopeful that even if he got admission to a low-ranking college, he would take it. But then the leak happened. He has been preparing for over three years. We don’t know how to motivate him to appear for the paper again,” said 34-year-old Gayathri Singh, originally from Rajasthan's Jaipur and currently residing in Delhi. Focus On Issues Affecting Students “I have been following the party online, but wasn’t sure if I should come for the protest or not. I was on my way to the office at 10 am in Rohini, but suddenly I decided to just come and check,” said 18-year-old Ronak Kumar from Delhi. “I don’t know about the party’s future, but for now at least they are talking about issues that matter to everyone—whether you are a student or a parent worrying about the education of your children,” Kumar said. Accountability And Attention To Mental Health “The CJP movement has been able to bring people from social media to the ground, which means they are talking about issues that people somewhere relate to. Some students have ended their lives and lakhs are under constant mental pressure, and there’s no accountability,” 38-year-old Sugandha, a psychologist by profession, told Hindustan Times. The crowd largely comprised school and college students, as well as young professionals, reflecting broad participation from the youth. At the protest site, the CJP raised slogans demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak case, alleged irregularities linked to the CBSE's on-screen marking system and other examination-related issues. “Dharmendra Pradhan must resign” and “Dharmendra Pradhan, resign!” were among the slogans raised, along with “Jai Bhim”.