Protesters Demand Education Minister’s Resignation in New Delhi

In New Delhi, supporters of India’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) staged a protest on Saturday. They demanded the resignation of the Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, over alleged examination irregularities and recent exam paper leaks.

Hundreds gathered near Parliament, creating a spectacle with steel plates and spoons. This act was a nod to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2020 call for citizens to bang utensils in solidarity with health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Authorities responded with heavy security, deploying cameras and drones to monitor the event. Protesters carried placards and made noise, increasing pressure on Prime Minister Modi’s administration and seeking broader public support.

“There is a virus called Dharmendra Pradhan that has to be removed,”

said CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, encouraging the crowd. He expressed the movement’s openness to dialogue with the government if Pradhan steps down.

The protest was sparked by a leaked exam paper for a national medical program last month, which was shared on Telegram. This led to the exam’s postponement and a temporary Telegram ban in India. The rescheduled exam is set for Sunday, with investigations ongoing into the leak.

One CJP supporter, Deepak Kumar, emphasized the continuation of protests if no action is taken.

Student Vicky Kumar expressed frustration over the issue, citing the hardships faced by students living and studying in poverty.

The CJP originated in May, after a Supreme Court Judge likened some unemployed youth to “cockroaches,” sparking outrage. Over time, their agenda broadened to address unemployment, rising living costs, and government accountability. The party has gained over 22 million Instagram followers, leveraging humor and satire to critique political issues.

The movement’s followers embrace the cockroach as a symbol of resilience, using the imagery in memes and videos that gain millions of views online. Many parody accounts have joined in, using satire to highlight unemployment and corruption.