‘We will not back down until Pradhan resigns’: CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke
New Delhi,Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has warned that the agitation would intensify if Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is not removed or does not resign within the next seven days.
According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking to reporters after arriving at his home in the MIDC Waluj area of Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Dipke described Saturday’s protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, as a success and said it had sent a strong message to the government.
“The protest was successful. Around 6,000 to 7,000 people took part in it. This movement will now spread across the country. We will not back down until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns,” Dipke said.
He said the youth-led movement was preparing its next steps and would soon announce a roadmap to expand the campaign beyond Delhi. “We will soon come out with an action plan to take this agitation nationwide,” he said.
Expressing gratitude to supporters who turned up at Jantar Mantar despite the scorching summer heat on Saturday, Dipke, who had flown into India just minutes before the protest began, said a fresh wave of demonstrations would follow if the minister refuses to step down.
“Yesterday, thousands of us made history. Our peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar showed the government a trailer of what cockroaches are capable of when we unite,” Dipke said in a post on X.
“Most people who joined us yesterday had never participated in a protest before. But they felt emboldened by our collective presence to express their sheer anger and frustration at the education system. Change cannot happen if we don’t make our voices heard,” he added.
“I want to thank each and every one of you who braved the hot summer sun, young kids and students included, and proved that a peaceful protest is our greatest strength. The government cannot touch a unified, peaceful movement. Us cockroaches don’t ever need to fear them,” Dipke said.
“But this doesn’t end here. Dharmendra Pradhan has wronged an entire generation. If he is not removed or does not step down within the next 7 days, we will be forced to continue our protest on the ground. I will address you all on an Instagram live later today. Stay tuned,” he added.
Pradhan has drawn flak over a series of recent controversies, including the alleged leak of NEET-UG question papers and the confusion surrounding the on-screen marking (OSM) system used in CBSE’s Class 12 examinations.
Dipke, a native of Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (formerly Aurangabad), is believed to be considering similar protests, possibly on a weekly basis, until Pradhan either resigns voluntarily or is removed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Media reports suggest a more structured roadmap for the agitation is expected to be drawn up in the coming days, with Dipke likely to outline the broad plan later on Sunday.
