New Delhi, July 2026 : The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday hardened its stand over the nationwide agitation against alleged examination paper leaks, declaring that it would not negotiate on its key demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The organisation also insisted that any future dialogue with the Central government must take place at the protest venue, Jantar Mantar, where demonstrators have been staging an extended campaign.
Addressing reporters, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the movement would continue until the Union Education Minister stepped down, asserting that the protests were aimed at ensuring accountability in the education system rather than seeking political mileage.
“Our protest will continue without interruption. We are not going to withdraw it until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns,” Dipke said. He also appealed for the well-being of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a prolonged hunger strike. “We want Sonam sir to end his fast because his life is precious for the country. We do not want him to risk his health any further,” he added.
Wangchuk, who has been admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, entered the 26th day of his hunger strike on Thursday. A day earlier, he had indicated that he was willing to end the fast if the government assured that no punitive action would be taken against students and protesters participating in the movement.
The CJP leadership criticised the Centre’s approach to dialogue, alleging that a previous meeting with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda failed to produce any meaningful outcome. Dipke claimed that members of the delegation were kept waiting for several hours before being granted only a brief interaction.
“We were made to wait for nearly five hours, and the actual discussion lasted barely ten minutes. That was not a serious attempt at dialogue. It was simply a waste of everyone’s time,” he alleged.
Responding to recent remarks by Nadda that the agitation was being politicised, Dipke rejected the accusation and countered that the government itself was attempting to give the issue a political colour.
“If politics is such a concern, then why remain in politics? It is political leaders who campaign during elections and seek votes. We are only fighting for justice for students whose future has been affected,” he said.
CJP national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the movement had gained unprecedented public support, claiming that thousands of people had gathered at Jantar Mantar while demonstrations were taking place in several parts of the country.
“This movement has inspired an entire generation to stand up for its rights. People are no longer willing to remain silent or live in fear. They are demanding accountability from those in power,” Ranka said.
He reiterated that the organisation was open to discussions with the government, but only if ministers visited the protest site. “We have already attended one meeting that achieved nothing. If the government genuinely wants dialogue, it should come to Jantar Mantar. Our demands are clear, and there is no compromise on the resignation of the Education Minister,” he stated.
Ranka further alleged that repeated examination paper leaks reflected deeper systemic failures within the country’s education and recruitment mechanisms. According to him, accountability must be fixed at the highest level to restore public confidence.
“Paper leaks continue because corruption and incompetence exist throughout the system. Unless those responsible are held accountable and strong safeguards are introduced to prevent such incidents, the problem will persist,” he said.
The CJP maintained that its agitation would continue until concrete action was taken, with protesters vowing to intensify their campaign in support of students seeking transparency, accountability and reforms in the examination system.
