Cockroach party founder to return to Delhi on Jun 6, protest against Edu Minister

Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), on Monday announced he will return to India on June 6 to launch a peaceful protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy.

The announcement came weeks after Dipke, a Boston-based strategist, launched the CJP, a satirical political movement, in the aftermath of remarks made by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant during hearings related to examination irregularities, when he used the term "cockroaches", while referring to students and activists. Although the CJI later clarified that his remarks were not directed at students and had been misunderstood, the episode sparked a huge debate online. Dipke subsequently launched the CJP, turning the 'cockroach' term into a symbol of youth activism and a campaign for accountability in the education system.

In a video posted on X, Dipke said he had decided to return to India to intensify the campaign against Pradhan, arguing that the NEET paper leak and subsequent disruption had affected millions of students. "The time has come for all of us to come together, following the path of the Constitution of India, and peacefully raise our voices to demand Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation," he said.

Asserting that over eight lakh students had signed an online petition seeking Pradhan's resignation, Dipke said support for the campaign had also emerged through protests in several parts of the country, including Lucknow, Jaipur and Maharashtra. He alleged that over one crore students had been impacted by issues relating to major examinations, including NEET, CBSE and CUET.

"Even after such a big blunder, if the Education Minister doesn't resign, it means there is no accountability left in this country," he said, adding that the consequences of systemic failures were being borne primarily by students.

Dipke said he would arrive in Delhi on June 6 and seek permission from the police to hold a peaceful demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Stressing that the movement would remain non-violent, he urged students and young people to exercise their constitutional right to seek accountability from the government.

Addressing concerns that he could face arrest, Dipke said he remained confident that democratic institutions would allow peaceful dissent.

“My friends and family are afraid that they will be arrested and sent to jail. But I still hope that our country is a democracy and we will get permission to protest peacefully. I want to make it clear that I am a big admirer of Gandhi, Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh and Nehru. I believe in the Constitution of India more than anything else which gives us the right to raise our voice in a democracy,” he said.

"As far as the fear of jail is concerned, how long will we live in fear? This country does not belong to any one party. This country belongs to all of us. It is a question of our future. Our future is being ruined. Now, it is our responsibility that whenever there is something wrong with anyone in this country, we should all raise our voice in a very peaceful and democratic manner, he added.

Dipke also said he had recently received multiple job offers in the US but chose to return to India because he wanted to contribute to the country and support students affected by the NEET controversy.

“I have also received many job offers in the past few days. But I am not going to take it as I have decided to come back to India as I love my country and I really want to do something for my country. Whatever we are today, it is all because of what this country has given us," he said.

ABOUT NEET CONTROVERSY

Dipke has been among the most vocal critics of Pradhan since the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, originally held on May 3, after "guess papers", which are mock question papers, circulated among students before the test, and contained several questions similar to those that appeared in the actual exam.

Following these findings, the Centre ordered a CBI probe and the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts competitive exams, including NEET, scrapped the exam, saying it was acting in the interest of students and public trust in the examination system. The May 3 exam, taken by over 22 lakh aspirants, is now scheduled to be reconducted on June 21 with enhanced security measures.

Amid mounting calls for his resignation over the NEET paper leak row, Pradhan defended the government's handling of the issue and maintained that accountability was being fixed through investigations and corrective measures.

During a hearing on the NEET paper leak issue in the Supreme Court last week, the Centre said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was personally monitoring the process to ensure a fair and transparent re-examination.