Thousands of protesters converged at the centre of New Delhi, on Monday, marching towards parliament as the rapidly growing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement intensified demands for sweeping education reforms and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The demonstration is one of the largest organised by the movement since it emerged weeks ago, was sparked by repeated examination paper leaks and mounting allegations of failures within India’s education system.
A spokesperson for the movement said protesters remained determined despite initial talks with the government.! “The peaceful protesters will not rest until the demand is met!”
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das wrote on X after meeting with federal Health Minister JP Nadda.
The Cockroach Janta Party, despite its name, is not a registered political party. It began as a satirical campaign before evolving into a nationwide youth movement demanding greater accountability in India’s education sector.
Its supporters have been calling for Pradhan’s resignation, accusing him of failing to address recurring examination scandals that have affected thousands of students across the country.
On Monday, Das disclosed that protest leaders had presented their demands directly to Nadda.
“We have conveyed our demands… including immediate resignation/sacking of Dharmendra Pradhan.”
According to him, the minister promised to raise the issues with the appropriate authorities but stopped short of making any commitments.
“The Minister assured us he will discuss this at the appropriate level. However, no commitments have been made so far.”
The Indian government has largely allowed the demonstrations to continue, although Pradhan last month dismissed the CJP as the B-team of disruptive elements. He has yet to respond to Monday’s protests.
Security was significantly tightened around the protest venue, with hundreds of police officers and paramilitary personnel deployed across central Delhi. Authorities later instructed demonstrators gathered at Jantar Mantar to vacate the area as the march progressed.
Tensions surrounding the protests escalated over the weekend after police forcibly hospitalised prominent activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk, who had entered the 21st day of a hunger strike in solidarity with the movement.
The CJP adopted the name “cockroach” after a senior judge reportedly used the term to describe young people, a label the movement has since embraced as a symbol of resilience and determination.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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