Overview
- The Cockroach Janta Party has expanded a student-led campaign into coordinated protests in cities including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Pune to demand Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over alleged examination irregularities.
- Protesters say the campaign centers on a suspected NEET-UG question-paper leak and problems with the CBSE’s on-screen marking system, and they are seeking judicial remedies and systemic reforms rather than one-off fixes.
- High-profile supporters joined recent rallies: actor Prakash Raj and activist Sonam Wangchuk spoke at the Bengaluru event on Sunday, where large crowds gathered despite heavy rain.
- Tensions have risen on the ground — CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was reportedly assaulted at the Jaipur protest and police detained two youths while authorities granted conditional permissions and set participant caps at some sites.
- Political actors have echoed broader claims about long-term exam failures, with Congress leaders alleging many leaked papers over years, and organisers warning of widespread student harm as they call for a sustained mobilization starting June 20.