Saurabh Mukherjee
The first major offline mobilisation called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Saturday (June 6) generated considerable attention, media coverage and online engagement, but the turnout appeared lower than what many supporters and observers had anticipated.
Despite extensive preparations, including a significant security presence, the gathering fell short of the expectations created by the movement's massive social media reach.
Thousands assembled at the protest venue as the satirical youth-led campaign sought to convert its online popularity into a street movement. The demonstration demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over controversies surrounding recent CBSE and NEET examinations. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who arrived in India earlier in the day, addressed the crowd and sought to energise supporters.
Addressing the scores of protesters, comprised largely of students and young professionals, Dipke raised slogans saying, “The youth of the country will no longer fear, they will fight. Cockroaches don’t even fear, they never die either.”
“Let us tell them we will no longer be afraid of their politics of fear … Stop the politics of religion! Stop the politics of ‘Hindu-Muslim’!” Dipke told his audience, which responded with shouts of “band karo (stop it)”.
“It has been a month since we started demanding Pradhan’s resignation on social media, but these individuals are so shameless that instead of taking action, they have been focused on other distractions, like hacking our accounts and getting our posts deleted,” Dipke said per PTI.
The protest came amid an escalating confrontation between the movement and the government.
The CJP has alleged attempts to restrict its digital presence, including the withholding of its X account in India and efforts to compromise social media accounts associated with the campaign. Despite these claims, the movement has continued to expand online, claiming a follower base significantly larger than that of the BJP on Instagram.
Education reformer and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest later in the day after previously stating that he would participate if the education minister did not step down by June 5.
Protesters also raised slogans critical of sections of the mainstream media, accusing them of failing to adequately highlight issues affecting students and youth.
However, political observers noted that while anger over unemployment, examination irregularities and paper leaks remains widespread among students and young people, the demonstration did not necessarily reflect a large-scale shift toward sustained street mobilisation. Much of the gathering appeared to consist of activists and participants who had previously engaged with similar campaigns, with only a limited number of first-time protesters visible.
Questions were also raised about the role of established student organisations in the movement. Some observers argued that organised student groups, particularly those with a long history of campus activism, possess the ability to mobilise similar or even larger crowds independently.
They cautioned that movements built primarily around social media personalities and digital campaigns can create situations where the benefits of success accrue to a small leadership circle while setbacks are borne by traditional grassroots organisations.
Even so, the event achieved one significant objective. Through extensive media attention, online amplification and continuous coverage by digital creators, the issue of examination paper leaks and accountability in the education system received nationwide visibility. For supporters, this represented a major success regardless of the final turnout figures.
As the demonstration concluded under heavy security arrangements, debate continued over whether the CJP can evolve from an internet phenomenon into a durable political force.
While the size of the gathering may not have matched the expectations generated online, the movement has succeeded in placing education-related grievances at the centre of public discussion and ensuring that concerns over paper leaks remain a prominent national issue.
Despite extensive preparations, including a significant security presence, the gathering fell short of the expectations created by the movement's massive social media reach.
Thousands assembled at the protest venue as the satirical youth-led campaign sought to convert its online popularity into a street movement. The demonstration demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over controversies surrounding recent CBSE and NEET examinations. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who arrived in India earlier in the day, addressed the crowd and sought to energise supporters.
Addressing the scores of protesters, comprised largely of students and young professionals, Dipke raised slogans saying, “The youth of the country will no longer fear, they will fight. Cockroaches don’t even fear, they never die either.”
“Let us tell them we will no longer be afraid of their politics of fear … Stop the politics of religion! Stop the politics of ‘Hindu-Muslim’!” Dipke told his audience, which responded with shouts of “band karo (stop it)”.
“It has been a month since we started demanding Pradhan’s resignation on social media, but these individuals are so shameless that instead of taking action, they have been focused on other distractions, like hacking our accounts and getting our posts deleted,” Dipke said per PTI.
The protest came amid an escalating confrontation between the movement and the government.
The CJP has alleged attempts to restrict its digital presence, including the withholding of its X account in India and efforts to compromise social media accounts associated with the campaign. Despite these claims, the movement has continued to expand online, claiming a follower base significantly larger than that of the BJP on Instagram.
Education reformer and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest later in the day after previously stating that he would participate if the education minister did not step down by June 5.
Protesters also raised slogans critical of sections of the mainstream media, accusing them of failing to adequately highlight issues affecting students and youth.
However, political observers noted that while anger over unemployment, examination irregularities and paper leaks remains widespread among students and young people, the demonstration did not necessarily reflect a large-scale shift toward sustained street mobilisation. Much of the gathering appeared to consist of activists and participants who had previously engaged with similar campaigns, with only a limited number of first-time protesters visible.
Questions were also raised about the role of established student organisations in the movement. Some observers argued that organised student groups, particularly those with a long history of campus activism, possess the ability to mobilise similar or even larger crowds independently.
They cautioned that movements built primarily around social media personalities and digital campaigns can create situations where the benefits of success accrue to a small leadership circle while setbacks are borne by traditional grassroots organisations.
Even so, the event achieved one significant objective. Through extensive media attention, online amplification and continuous coverage by digital creators, the issue of examination paper leaks and accountability in the education system received nationwide visibility. For supporters, this represented a major success regardless of the final turnout figures.
As the demonstration concluded under heavy security arrangements, debate continued over whether the CJP can evolve from an internet phenomenon into a durable political force.
While the size of the gathering may not have matched the expectations generated online, the movement has succeeded in placing education-related grievances at the centre of public discussion and ensuring that concerns over paper leaks remain a prominent national issue.
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