Founder of the online satirical collective Cockroach Janta Party, Abhijit Debaki, has announced that he will return to India on June 6 to lead a “peaceful protest” at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendri Pradhan over alleged NEET paper leaks and other exam irregularities.
In a video message to supporters, Debke urged students and citizens to unite and raise their voices “following the path of the Constitution” to demand accountability. “If we raise our voices together, they will definitely listen to us,” he said.
The protest call comes amid growing dissatisfaction among students over alleged irregularities in several examinations at the national level. Demonstrations were reported in Lucknow, Jaipur and parts of Maharashtra, while an online petition demanding Pradhan’s resignation has garnered about 800,000 signatures, according to Debke.
It is estimated that the NEET paper leak controversy has affected around 2.2 million candidates. Dipke claimed that concerns over screenings extended beyond NEET, citing CBSE exams, CUET and SSC GD recruitment tests. He said that these exams together included approximately 9.5 million students, both male and female.
CJP, a youth-focused political commentary movement founded by Debke, has built a large following on social media by highlighting issues related to exams, student welfare and institutional accountability.
Debke said he draws inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, BR Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh and Jawaharlal Nehru, and described himself as a strong believer in constitutional methods of protest. “I believe in the Constitution of India more than anything else. It gives us all the right to express our voice in a democratic system,” he said, stressing that the demonstration will remain peaceful and legal.
He also said that his family members and friends fear that he might be arrested upon his arrival in India, but stressed that citizens should not be intimidated and prevented from exercising democratic rights. He said, “How long will we live in fear? This country does not belong to any particular party, but rather belongs to all of us.”
The Ministry of Education did not respond to the resignation request. Any protest near Parliament will require prior permission from the police. Debaki said he plans to obtain a permit from the Parliament Street police station after arriving in Delhi. Jantar Mantar has long served as a designated venue for public demonstrations and student-led protests.
