Highlights
- Abhijeet Dipke led the party's first street protest in New Delhi
- He said social media restrictions will not stop the movement
- Hundreds of students and young professionals gathered at Jantar Mantar
- Police deployed heavily around the area
ABHIJEET DIPKE, founder of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), told supporters in New Delhi on Saturday (6) that the government could remove the group's social media posts but could not silence the movement, as hundreds gathered for a protest demanding the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Speaking at Jantar Mantar under heavy security, Dipke accused the government of focusing on the organisation's online activity instead of addressing concerns over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests.
"It has been a month since we started demanding Pradhan's resignation on social media," Dipke told supporters. "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."
The protest marked the first time the online movement, which has attracted millions of followers on social media, took its campaign to the streets.
Dozens of police officers were deployed around the protest site, while roads in parts of central Delhi were barricaded. Police used loudspeakers to direct participants to the designated protest area. More than 1,000 personnel were deployed across the capital as a precaution, according to officials.
Students, young professionals in attendence
Hundreds of people, mostly students, young professionals and school pupils accompanied by parents, attended the demonstration. Many wore cockroach masks and carried flowers.
Dipke said he had feared being detained after returning from the US, where he has lived for the past two years. Recalling his arrival in India earlier on Saturday, he said he felt as though he was experiencing his "last moments of freedom" and was prepared to sacrifice his freedom for the cause.
"The youth and students of this country have not sold themselves," he told the crowd.
Before the protest, Dipke urged supporters to remain peaceful and respectful towards police officers, encouraging them to offer flowers as a gesture of goodwill.
Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) gather during a sit-in protest demanding the resignation of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in New Delhi, India, June 6, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
The movement has called for accountability over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests, including medical entrance test NEET, and other competitive exams. Protesters repeatedly demanded Pradhan's resignation during the rally.
The Modi government has blocked the movement's X account in India, a decision the group has challenged in court. Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju has previously accused the organisation of seeking followers from Pakistan and being part of what he described as an "anti-India gang".
The movement's spokesperson, Ashutosh Ranka, described the campaign as "a peaceful movement for the youth of the nation".
India has nearly 400 million people aged between 15 and 29. Despite rapid economic growth, creating jobs for young people remains a major challenge. Official data showed the urban youth unemployment rate was close to 14 per cent in April.
(with inputs from agencies)
