Jantar Mantar Protest: Cockroach Janta Party Mobilises Thousands Over NEET Row, Demands Education Minister’s Resignation
31 May 2026, 6 June 2026
New Delhi — Jantar Mantar turned into a sea of protesters on Saturday as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by founder Abhijit Dipke, staged a large, peaceful demonstration demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and wider exam irregularities. Thousands of youths are confronting the peak summer with temperature rising and the protestors literally perspiring tremendously.
The protest marks the movement’s first major on-ground mobilisation after weeks of viral online campaigning that has amassed over 22 million Instagram followers.
Dipke, a 30-year-old Boston University graduate and former AAP social media volunteer, arrived in Delhi from Boston early Saturday morning. Visuals showed him carrying a copy of Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s autobiography as he landed at IGI Airport.
He had urged supporters not to gather at the airport to avoid disruption, instead asking them to proceed directly to Jantar Mantar. The crowd swelled through the morning, with students, youth, and CJP volunteers holding placards and raising slogans: _“Dharmendra Pradhan Istifa Do”_ and _“We asked for ‘Make in India’, you gave us ‘Leak in India’”.
Delhi Police had granted permission for the protest at Jantar Mantar after Dipke interacted with officials upon arrival. Over 1,000 personnel were deployed across New Delhi, including at the airport, border points, and the protest site. 0fa3f1ed
CJP’s central demand is the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding him accountable for the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak that led to the exam’s cancellation on May 3. The movement also flagged irregularities in CBSE’s On-Screen Marking system, CUET, and SSC exams, claiming over 9.5 million students and aspirants have been affected.
Dipke told the crowd while addressing them
“You may be able to delete our posts, but you cannot erase us from this space”_, referring to alleged attempts to suppress the movement’s social media reach.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) told the Supreme Court on May 29 that it had implemented wide-ranging security reforms post the NEET leak, including CCTV checks, mock drills, and forensic analysis of footage. NEET-UG 2026 has been rescheduled for June 21.
The Congress leader Digvijay Singh wrote to PM Modi on June 4 demanding a white paper on paper leaks and irregularities in NTA-conducted exams over the last 8 years. He cited concerns over accused persons being out on bail and closure reports filed in UGC-NET 2024.
NSUI and AISA held protests outside the Education Ministry and NTA office in the months of May and June. Police detained several protesters during demonstrations on June 1.
Earlier education reformer Sonam Wangchuk said he would join the protest if Pradhan did not step down by June 5. Wangchuk urged protesters to maintain peace and cooperate with police. Today he is the star attraction at Jantar Mantar.
Police increased deployment at Dipke’s residence in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, stepping up from 1 to 10 personnel with an officer reveal the news reports.
The rapid mobilisation has drawn comparisons to the 2011 Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement. Like Anna’s campaign, CJP’s protest tapped into widespread youth frustration over systemic failures. However, CJP positions itself as a non-electoral, civic pressure campaign focused on accountability.
The movement began as satire after CJI Surya Kant’s alleged “cockroach” remark in a Supreme Court hearing on May 15. It quickly evolved into a structured youth campaign with a five-point agenda covering judicial independence, electoral accountability, and women’s reservation.
The CJP spokespersons Saurav Das, Vijeta Dahiya, and Ashutosh Ranka have outlined guidelines for peaceful conduct. Dipke has stated the protest will continue with “love and peace”.
The government has not yet responded publicly to CJP’s demands. The NTA maintains that reforms are underway, and the CBI is investigating the NEET leak.
The protest’s scale reflects deep anxiety among students after repeated exam controversies. Whether it sustains momentum will depend on the government’s response, legal outcomes of the NEET investigation, and the movement’s ability to maintain discipline and broad appeal.
For now, Jantar Mantar remains the focal point of a youth-led push for accountability in India’s examination system.
Kindly recall that the CJP was launched on May 16, 2026, after a viral social media reaction to CJI Surya Kant’s remarks. The group describes itself as “Secular, Socialist, Democratic, and Lazy” and claims to represent unemployed youth and students.
