Thank you for calling us Cockroaches’: activist reacts to Indian Education Minister’s resignation
Following the resignation of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) chief Abhijit Dipke addressed a protest rally at Jantar Mantar and thanked those who had referred to young people as “cockroaches.”
Speaking at the demonstration, Dipke directly addressed Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, saying that if the chief justice had not used the term, he would not have returned to India and the protest movement would never have begun.
According to Indian media reports, the youth-led campaign began after a Supreme Court hearing on May 15. During a case concerning the designation of senior advocates, Chief Justice Surya Kant reportedly compared some young people to cockroaches, saying they struggled to find employment and opportunities in their professions.
The chief justice later clarified that his remarks were directed at people holding fake law degrees and were not intended to describe unemployed youth generally. However, the statement quickly spread across social media and triggered widespread criticism.
The following day, Abhijit Dipke, a student based in Boston and a former communications strategist for the Aam Aadmi Party, announced the formation of the Cockroach Janta Party in a satirical social media post.
Dipke presented the group as a platform for young people who considered themselves “cockroaches” — including unemployed youth, active social media users and those critical of the existing system.
The campaign gained momentum as public anger increased over allegations surrounding a National Eligibility Test (NET) paper leak. Dipke returned to India in early June and began leading protests at Jantar Mantar.
The protesters’ main demand was the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations.
The movement later received wider attention when social activist Sonam Wangchuk began an indefinite hunger strike on June 28. He ended the hunger strike after 26 days following written assurances from the government.
The assurances included a commitment that peaceful protesters would not face criminal cases. The government also agreed to consider examination reforms and accountability measures in Parliament. It further agreed to consider a proposal for compensation for families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the reported paper leak.
Despite the end of Wangchuk’s hunger strike, the Cockroach Janta Party continued demanding Pradhan’s resignation.
The protests continued even after demonstrators were reportedly subjected to a baton charge on July 20. Growing pressure eventually led to Pradhan stepping down.
In his resignation, Pradhan said he was leaving his position with the future of students in mind. He also said the decision was necessary to prevent anti-national elements from taking advantage of the situation at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere across the country.
