A youth-led movement calling itself the 'Cockroach Janta Party' (CJP) has staged one of the largest protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in recent years. The group, led by 30-year-old political strategist Abhijeet Dipke, is demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The movement gained momentum following widespread anger over the cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), a critical medical college entrance exam, after allegations surfaced that test questions had been leaked.
The exam, taken by over 2.2 million students, was forced to be resat under heightened security, fueling claims of systemic failure and mismanagement.
The group’s name is a satirical jab at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), originating from a controversial comment by Chief Justice Surya Kant, who had criticized individuals with 'fake and bogus degrees' as parasites.
Tensions escalated further when activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a 20-day hunger strike in support of the movement, was forcibly removed by authorities and taken to a hospital. This intervention drew sharp criticism from opposition politicians, who are now aligning themselves with the protesters.
While the CJP claims to represent the frustrations of India's youth, the government faces the challenge of maintaining order while addressing the integrity of its national testing systems.
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