‘We Are Not Scared’: CJP Protest at Jantar Mantar Targets Education Minister, Sets 7-Day Deadline

Hundreds of people gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday for a protest organised by the political satirical outfit Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged paper leaks and irregularities in recruitment and entrance examinations.

Addressing the crowd, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who flew in from the United States to attend the demonstration, said the movement was driven by a generation unwilling to be intimidated. Recalling concerns expressed by his family before his return, Dipke said his mother feared he could be arrested upon landing in India because of his political activism.

“This is not just my mother’s fear; it is the fear of parents whose children speak up on political issues. But how long can we live in fear? We are not scared,” he told protesters.

Dipke said he had mentally prepared himself for possible detention before arriving in Delhi and believed he might be sacrificing his personal freedom for the cause. However, he was not arrested, and Delhi Police granted permission for the protest to proceed.

Meanwhile, BJP president Nitin Nabin appeared to take an indirect swipe at the movement, saying from Ranchi that some people living abroad believe they can dictate the direction of India’s youth. Without naming CJP or Dipke, Nabin asserted that young Indians are focused on nation-building and would not become “puppets” of those promoting anti-establishment politics.

He said opposition and dissent are legitimate in a democracy but cautioned against attempts to push young people toward what he described as negative politics. According to Nabin, India’s youth would continue to support constructive and disciplined efforts aimed at national development.

After several hours of demonstrations, organisers ended the protest but escalated their campaign by issuing a seven-day ultimatum to the government. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said either Dharmendra Pradhan should resign voluntarily or Prime Minister Narendra Modi should remove him from office.

“If his resignation does not come within seven days, this movement will spread across the country,” Ranka said, adding that the protest marked the beginning of a broader push to reform and “reset” India’s education system.