Cockroach Janata Party Protest: Students Demand Dharmendra Pradhan’s Resignation, Call for Accountability In Education System
Many of the protestors, mostly young individuals who turned out for the demonstration, were wearing cockroach masks and holding flowers, reports Chanchal Mukherjee.
Published : June 6, 2026 at 2:06 PM IST
New Delhi: Hundreds gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi under the banner of Cockroach Janata Party, demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests, according to organisers.
Many of the protestors, mostly young individuals who turned out for the demonstration, were wearing cockroach masks and holding flowers. School students were also seen attending the protest along with their parents. They raised slogans criticising the education system and calling for the resignation of the Education Minister.
Rahul Ohriya, a student from Madhya Pradesh, joined the demonstration with the hope of bringing out improvements in the education system. "We came here to join the protest against the poor education system, the NEET paper leak, and issues related to the CBSE and CUET-UG examinations,” he told ETV Bharat.
“I am hopeful that our protest will help bring about improvements in the education system," he added. Ankit Gautam from Delhi, another student protestor, alleged that Dharmendra Pradhan is responsible for the poor state of the education system in the country.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, he said, "We came here to support the youth's legitimate demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. We believe he is responsible for the poor state of the education system and the recurring paper leak issues."
Earlier, Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the online movement CJP, joined the planned demonstration that began at 10 am on Saturday. Addressing the gathering, he said, "The youth of the country will no longer fear; they will fight. Cockroaches don't even fear; they never die either."
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the #CockroachJantaParty (CJP) arrived in New Delhi to attend the protest at Jantar Mantar pic.twitter.com/m6SO2Go3y0
— ETV Bharat (@ETVBharatEng) June 6, 2026
Roads leading to the protest site were barricaded, while extensive checking was underway to prevent anti-social elements from reaching the venue. According to CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, the party had completed all necessary formalities and taken permission for a peaceful protest.
Delhi Police has permitted CJP for a demonstration at Jantar Mantar today from 10:00 am to 05:00 pm. As per the permission letter, the request was received by the police for holding a dharna/demonstration at Jantar Mantar on June 6 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Security was heightened across the national capital in anticipation of the protest. Police officials stated that additional personnel had been deployed at Indira Gandhi International Airport, border entry points, and other sensitive locations. More than 1,000 police personnel have been allocated for deployment throughout New Delhi and other strategic locations as a precaution.
In the run-up to the protest, the CJP had circulated guidelines urging participants to maintain non-violent conduct and avoid confrontation. Dipke's latest appeal reiterated those instructions, emphasising respectful engagement with law enforcement personnel during the demonstration.
According to a CJP spokesperson, events that occurred over the past month have highlighted serious shortcomings in both the Education Ministry and the broader education system, which they described as ineffective and poorly managed.
Members of CJP criticised the transfer of the Central Board of Secondary Education Chairman and Secretary, arguing that young people are seeking genuine accountability rather than what they characterised as symbolic or token administrative transfers.
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