Supporters of India's Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) attend the ongoing protests on Friday night at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, India.
New Delhi: India’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) continued its protest on Friday night, four days after a police crackdown on thousands of protesters marching toward Parliament to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over examination paper leaks, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Dipke was based in the U.S. city of Boston until early June, he came to India and launched a protest near the Jantar Mantar observatory in the heart of Delhi.
Since then, and particularly after a police crackdown on demonstrators on Monday sparked public outrage, he has become a constant presence on a raised platform at the protest site. Bearded and dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, Dipke addresses crowds of hundreds from the stage, urging them to remain peaceful while maintaining pressure on the government.
However, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das told NNP on Friday that “the government sought time until Saturday afternoon to respond to their demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over examination paper leaks, following talks between the two sides.”
The talks came hours after Indian climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, 59, ended his 26-day hunger strike after the Indian government assured him that several of his demands would be considered, raising hopes of a breakthrough after tens of thousands of young protesters gathered in New Delhi this week demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In a post on X, Wangchuk said he ended his fast after holding discussions with the government and senior leaders.
“In the presence of Union Ministers Sh. JP Nadda, Dr. Jitendra Singh and the senior leaders of Apex Body of Leh Ladakh, I finally broke my fast after 26 days,” Wangchuk said.
“65 Members of Parliament from different political parties had either visited him or signed letters requesting him to end his hunger strike. Wangchuk said he agreed to end the fast after long negotiations and in view of the possibility of violence in the country,” he added.
The anti-government protests have emerged as the biggest youth challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he came to power in 2014. Opposition parties have backed the movement’s demands and disrupted the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament.
Friday’s meeting was held between Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh and Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, spokespersons CJP. Following the talks, CJP leaders said they had made it clear that they would not accept any solution without Pradhan’s resignation and warned that the protests would expand if the demand was not met.
“The government has asked for time until tomorrow afternoon to respond on this point to the resignation,” Ranka told NNP. “We hope the government will dismiss Dharmendra Pradhan at the earliest, or that he will resign, so that we can bring this matter to a conclusion.”
Earlier Union Health Minister JP Nadda accepted several demands of the activist Wangchuk before he broke his fast at Medanta Hospital.
“The government had taken a positive view on not filing cases against people who participated in peaceful protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and those who joined the march to Parliament on July 20,” Nadda said.
The government had already assured detailed discussions in Parliament on examination reforms and ways to prevent future paper leaks. “The government is also positively considering suitable compensation for the suicide victims of recent NEET paper leaks,” Nadda said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday released a video message on X promising stricter action against examination paper leaks.
Calling the issue a “matter of great pain” for hundreds of thousands of students, Modi said the government would introduce a tougher law to curb paper leaks and speed up legal action against those responsible.
He said the issue would be discussed during the cabinet meeting on Friday.However, Modi did not mention Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in his remarks.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan broke his silence late Tuesday after days of growing calls for his resignation. He said “the government remained committed to addressing students’ concerns and introducing reforms to improve the examination system.”
Opposition parties have supported the protesters’ demands and disrupted the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament over the examination leak controversy. Meanwhile, The demonstrations have also spread to several other Indian cities, including Ranchi, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram and Kolkata.
Authorities imposed strict security measures in central New Delhi as protests continued. Sixteen Delhi Metro stations in and around the central parts of the city were closed on Thursday, affecting thousands of commuters.The government also suspended mobile internet services in the protest area and disrupted digital payment services used by shops and restaurants, According to protesters.
Businesses in Connaught Place, one of New Delhi’s busiest commercial areas, were asked to close early following a security advisory issued by local authorities.
Human rights groups have criticized the restrictions, saying they appear aimed at limiting protests and preventing further demonstrations.
However, police used tear gas and batons to disperse thousands of protesters on July 20, attempting to march toward Parliament. About 180 injured people were taken to state-run hospitals after Monday’s clashes.
The movement has also received support from several Bollywood celebrities, including Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt and Kareena Kapoor, who shared messages on social media backing the students’ campaign.
The Cockroach Janta Party began as an online satirical movement with only a few hundred young participants. It has since grown into a nationwide protest campaign, reflecting growing frustration among India’s youth over repeated examination paper leaks, unemployment and concerns about the future of the country’s education system.
The Author
Discover more from News Network Plus
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
