Supporters of the Cockroach Party (CJP), a movement making waves on Indian social media, staged a protest near the parliament building in New Delhi on 20/6. Their aim was to pressure Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign.
"There is a virus named Dharmendra Pradhan that needs to be eliminated," said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the CJP and a current Boston University student.
The Cockroach Party and its supporters expressed outrage after a national medical exam paper was leaked on Telegram last month. The leak prompted Indian officials to postpone the exam, reschedule it for 21/6, and ban Telegram in the country. The government stated that the exam leak is currently under investigation.
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Following Dipke's call, hundreds of students and young people on 20/6 carried posters and continuously clanged metal plates in front of the parliament, aiming to draw public attention in India. Authorities deployed heavy security forces, cameras, and drones to monitor the protest.
This plate-clanging action echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2020 call, when he urged Indians to go onto their balconies and rooftops to clang kitchen utensils in solidarity with frontline healthcare workers at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dipke addressed the crowd, stating that the CJP was ready to dialogue with the government if Pradhan resigned.
"This is just the beginning. If Dharmendra Pradhan does not resign or if no action is taken on this issue, the protest will not stop here," said Deepak Kumar, a CJP supporter.
Protesters clang plates demanding the Indian education minister's resignation in New Delhi on 20/6. Video: X/CJP
"We study tirelessly, living in poverty 24 hours a day, year after year, and after all that, our exam paper is leaked. How can I not be angry?", student Vicky Kumar said, expressing his frustration.
The Cockroach Party movement emerged in May, after Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant likened some unemployed youth to "cockroaches", sparking public outrage.
Supporters transformed this term into a symbol of resilience, helping the CJP attract over 22 million followers on Instagram. Since then, the movement's message has expanded to include concerns about unemployment, rising living costs, and government accountability.
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Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Party, speaks during the protest on 20/6. Photo: AP |
CJP supporters often jokingly refer to themselves as unemployed and "heavy social media addicts". Their videos and memes mocking unemployment, corruption, and political instability have garnered millions of views. Many social media accounts mimicking the CJP have also adopted the cockroach as a satirical political symbol.
Hong Hanh (According to AP)
