The Bengal Story Bureau: The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) will hold a protest at Amritsar’s Golden Gate at 4 pm on June 13, founder Abhijeet Dipke announced on Friday, as the youth-led campaign demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan moves into poll-bound Punjab. Dipke, posting on X and Instagram, called the gathering a peaceful one and urged students and volunteers to join.
The Amritsar leg follows demonstrations in Delhi, Pune and Lucknow, and forms part of a nationwide schedule that the party says will conclude in New Delhi on June 20.
What the CJP is demanding
The CJP has built its agitation around alleged failures in India’s examination system, including the NEET-UG paper leak controversy and concerns over CBSE evaluation through Online Screen Marking. The party is demanding that Pradhan step down over what it describes as systemic failures affecting more than one crore students who appear for NEET, CBSE and CUET examinations.
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At its Pune protest, the party unveiled a five-point charter it calls the “Roachmap”. The demands include a paper-leak compensation of Rs 10,000 per student, a mandatory backup exam day within 72 hours of any disruption, paper-based checking for paper examinations, an automatic age-limit extension where exams or results are delayed, and a mandatory technology and tender audit.
The nationwide schedule
The protest campaign began in Pune on June 11 at Savitribai Phule Pune University, followed by Lucknow on June 12, where heavy police and paramilitary deployment was reported at Eco Garden. Amritsar is set for June 13, with further demonstrations planned in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, before the movement winds up at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on June 20.
The Lucknow gathering went ahead despite local authorities reportedly not granting formal permission, according to accounts of the protest. Dipke has maintained that the movement is committed to non-violence.
Online following versus turnout
Questions have been raised about the gap between the CJP’s online reach and its physical mobilisation. The party counts about 22.7 million followers on Instagram and 2,76,500 on X, yet its Pune protest drew an estimated 300 to 400 students, according to media reports. The contrast has drawn criticism from political opponents online.
Why Punjab matters
With Punjab heading into Assembly elections in 2027, the state’s political parties are already active on the ground. Should the CJP succeed in drawing the state’s youth, its Amritsar protest could add to the political churn in the run-up to the polls.
The CJP began as an online movement before spilling onto the streets, framing its campaign around concerns over India’s education system and the case for reform.
