The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has announced three spokespersons for the movement ahead of the planned protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The names include journalist Sourav Das, director Vijita Dahiya and former management consultant Ashutosh Ranka.
However, social media users were quick to point out that no women had been named in the roles, with one saying: “Include some female spokesperson names before others call it an all-male party.” Another user questioned the “non-inclusivity” of members of the Dalit and Adivasi communities. They also highlighted the lack of representation among women, Muslims or the LGBTQ community.
Now, CJP founder Abhijit Debaki has addressed the allegations, answering why the movement has not announced any female spokesperson yet. Debke said the role was offered to members of the women’s team, but they chose to participate without being at the forefront due to online attacks and threats.
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“Why is there no woman spokesperson in the CJP? We offered the role to our female team members, but many of them told us that they would rather actively participate without being at the forefront due to the constant online attacks and threats we receive. We respect their decision,” Debke said in a post on X.
The CJP founder also invited women who want to join the movement and become a spokesperson to join the movement. “However, we would like to invite young women who want to be part of this movement and are willing to step forward as spokespersons to join us,” Debke added.
CJP’s protest call, Sonam Wangchuk supports the movement
The protest call launched by the CJP on June 6 is primarily against the recent irregularities and paper leaks in the CBSE, NEET and CUET exams. The group held its first press conference on Wednesday ahead of the protest, a day after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk announced he would join the movement if no action is taken by June 5 on the issues. Wangchuk supported the CJP’s demand for the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
“I will join CJP members in Delhi on June 6 if nothing changes by June 5. Any self-respecting minister should resign if things get this bad… not to mention affecting the lives of millions of young people and indeed the future of India,” Wangchuk said in a post on X.
The CJP announced its three spokespersons earlier today, ahead of its first press conference. Sourav Das will act as its spokesperson. “He has spent several years investigating, analyzing and reporting on crucial legal, judicial and social issues,” the CJP said of Das. Meanwhile, Vijita Dahiya and Ashutosh Ranka will act as spokespersons alongside Das. Dahiya is a writer, content creator, and filmmaker, and has worked on research and content for several YouTube creators like Dhruv Rathee.
Ranka, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and the London School of Economics, previously worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Company in London, and returned to India in 2025. He has since led several public movements focusing on youth issues.
