A day after spearheading the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) first protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, the online satirical movement’s founder Abhijeet Dipke intensified his criticism of the Union Government, reiterating the demand of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and questioning the Centre’s ability to curb irregularities in major exams.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of CJP
Addressing the media in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Sunday, Dipke said his organisation would continue its agitation until Minister Pradhan stepped down voluntarily or was removed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi.
“If PM Modi can stop wars, why not paper leaks”?: Dipke
Dipke launched a verbal attack on the government, drawing a comparison between India’s global diplomatic stature and domestic challenges which the competitive exams have been grappling with. He remarked, “PM Modi should seek Education Minister Pradhan’s resignation. We have been demanding this from the beginning. If PM Modi can stop the Russia-Ukraine war, then why can’t he stop paper leaks?.”
Youth register huge turnout at June 6 demonstration
The demonstration organised by CJP on June 6 at Jantar Mantar drew hundreds of young participants and centred on demands for accountability in light of the allegations surrounding exam paper leaks. Dipke said the movement would not halt here, but would continue to champion issues affecting the country’s youth, irrespective of whether they lived in urban regions or rural ones.
A still from the June 6 protest
He said, “Whatever issues concern young people, whether they are from urban areas or rural areas, we will voice concerns for them. Today’s youth no longer have expectations from the existing political parties or the government.” The activist also suggested that growing frustration among students and job seekers had created a vacuum that traditional political parties had failed to address properly.
No clarification on CJP turning into a political party
Amid growing speculations that the movement could eventually transform into a full-fledged political party, Dipke said it was too early to land on such a decision. He said he has recently returned from the US, and his immediate focus would be on engaging with supporters and understanding their concerns before deciding on the organisation’s future trajectory. “We will listen to our followers and understand their concerns before making any decision.”
Dipke slams critics
Dipke also responded to criticism from BJP leaders and social media users who raised questions on his credentials and accused him of pursuing an anti-government agenda while living overseas.
He said, “I led a protest in Delhi yesterday. Does that mean those people are saying a Pakistani citizen was allowed to stage a protest in Delhi? How many people residing in this country are you going to label as Pakistani? Are only BJP members and IT cell workers Indians?”, he asked. He then cleared the air on accepting backing from opposition parties like the Congress or the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), maintaining that the movement will remain independent. He clarified he had no links with any political party, but was willing to accept issue-based support from the ones who shared its concerns regarding youth welfare and education.
Abhijeet Dipke
At the end, he said he intends to stay back in India and would not be returning to the US. When asked about a possible meeting with Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, he denied responding directly, saying he had returned home earlier that day and needed time before discussing future engagements.