Stepping up attack against Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday announced the launch of a nationwide campaign to demand his resignation and exhorted students, farmers and civil society groups to join him at Jantar Mantar on June 28.
Addressing a press conference here, Dipke said activist Sonam Wangchuk would also join the campaign at Jantar Mantar on Sunday and begin an indefinite fast. He, however, did not elaborate on what the campaign would entail.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that Pradhan resigns, saying that he would be seen as an “incompetent prime minister” if he failed to do so.
The CJP, which started as a digital satirical outfit, has been holding a sit-in at Jantar Mantar since June 20 to demand Pradhan’s resignation over alleged irregularities in exams and the NEET paper-leak controversy.
“It has been a week, and Dharmendra Pradhan has not taken any responsibility for the paper leaks,” Dipke said.
“Sonam Wangchuk will join the protest from Sunday. It is unfortunate that no one is being held accountable for student suicides, and an educator and a scientist like Wangchuk has to go on a hunger strike when 20 students have already died.
“It is not too late. Pradhan should resign because the blood of those students is on his hands. He was calling us terrorists, but he is the real terrorist because he is the reason for the death of these students,” Dipke added.
On the “Pradhan Go Back” protest, he said the CJP wanted to start a nationwide campaign demanding accountability from the government.
He called upon students, parents, teachers, farmer unions and civil society groups to come to Jantar Mantar on Sunday.
Dipke said, “How long will this country function without accountability? What kind of democracy is this? Is it a good thing that no one resigns in this government?” “Prime Minister Modi should ensure that Pradhan steps down, otherwise he would be considered directly responsible for the deaths of students. If he does not take any action, then he is incompetent as the prime minister of India”, the CJP founder said.
Dipke also demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the families of students who died by suicide.
Asked about the Congress’s proposed protest on the issue, Dipke said parties should rise above their political differences and speak up for the students.
On whether the CJP’s agitation would end with Pradhan’s resignation, he said it would be premature to answer that question.
In response to a question on whether the public anger would subside if Pradhan stepped down, Dipke said, “It will not, but first of all, let the resignation happen.”
He alleged that some protesters and volunteers at Jantar Mantar had been attacked by hooligans and accused police of failing to take action despite complaints being made.
“People bringing food for the protesters are being harassed. In one case, they even went to a volunteer’s in-laws’ house. Those attacking us are roaming free while police say they need court orders. I have doubts that this is all pre-planned,” he claimed.
He demanded that those behind the incident be booked for attempt to murder.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das alleged that police did not invoke appropriate charges against the accused despite a volunteer suffering a serious head injury.
Meanwhile, Das, Vijeta Dahiya and Ashutosh Ranka reached the Education Ministry at Kartavya Bhawan on Friday afternoon with a cake for Pradhan on his birthday. They said they were not allowed entry into the premises.
“Pradhan ji, Happy Birthday. We were not allowed entry. We have brought you a gift, this cake… You should also give us a gift and resign,” Ranka said.
In posts on X, Dipke also appealed to parents to not stop their children from joining the protest, saying it was “about their future”.
Das also announced the induction of four new spokespersons into the organisation—” Vaishnavi Gaur, Aafreen Nawaz, Deepak Baliyan and Ratna Singh.
Das said Gaur, who has a Master’s in Public Policy, has worked in the public policy space with experience across central and state governments, academia and think tanks. Aafreen Nawaz is an entrepreneur and founder of her own venture, while Deepak Baliyan has been associated with farmers’ movements for the past eight years. Ratna Singh is a legal journalist and practising lawyer.
Nawaz announced the formation of a Protest Coordination Committee for the June 28 demonstration at Jantar Mantar, comprising Ankit Bharadwaj, Akshay Shinde, Rasika Kharat, Shahrin, Premakash Mamag, Jaisingh Shere, Durgesh Kuhike, Mohammad Junaid, Yogesh Ingale, Rekha Sharma, Vishal Saini, Sudhir Sangwan, Vijay Mallangi and Ram Jakhar.
