The “Cockroach” movement may have started as a call for accountability amid ongoing exam irregularities, but the sentiment on the ground has gone beyond that.
At the Jantar Mantar protest organized by Kukrush Janta, an online movement that seeks to translate its instant reach into on-the-ground impact within three weeks, distrust of the media emerged as a major theme among participants in Delhi on Saturday.
While the protest called by RJD founder Abhijit Debaki, who returned from the US in the morning, remained peaceful, a section of the protesters wanted less mainstream media there. “Hum Godi media se baat nahi kareinge,” several protesters told multiple media outlets, using a popular pro-government media term that has apparently made its way into the Gen Z lexicon as well. Slogans were also raised to this effect, such as “media-walo bahar niklo” (Get out, media professionals).
However, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka calmed down this part of the protests, saying that the “really biased media” had “already left after declaring that everyone here is anti-national”.
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He assured the protesters that those still there speaking to the crowd were “not like them.” “Jo zur zur se shilat hain, woh live indeed karke, humin anti-national pol kar, shali gaye hain. Yeh sab log, waa log hain. Humari protest cover karna chah hai, aur inka saath humin dena hai,” Ranka said, asking the crowd not to target all journalists.
Main order, and then some
The Jantar Mantar protest was planned after Deepak – who created social media accounts for the CJP party – in mid-May Reclaiming the word ‘cockroach’, used by Chief Justice Surya Kant during a hearing, he announced his return to India in a video on June 1. In this video message, Dibek called on his “cockroach buddies” to gather.
The central demand was the resignation of the Federal Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan on recent exam-related controversies like NEET-UG leak and problems with CBSE paper examination system.
Debaki earlier called on his supporters to “meet me at the airport.” However, citing the overwhelming response, the CJP founder modified the plan and appealed to gather at Parliament Street, where they will all march to Jantar Mantar.
After obtaining police permission to protest at the last minute on Saturday, hundreds gathered in the intense heat.
The crowd, led by Debaki and newly appointed RJD spokespersons Vijita Dahiya, Ashutosh Ranka and Sourav Das, called for Pradhan’s resignation.
As they chanted “Dharmendra Pradhan Asteva Do”, the emotions on the ground went beyond mere exams. Many pointed to India’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index for 2026, which is 157th, down from 151st in 2025. This ranking was also mentioned during the controversy that erupted during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Norway, when he responded to a question from a journalist. The Norwegian journalist provoked a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Voices from the ground
The “cockroach” protest overall attracted a crowd that went beyond students and Generation Z. Teachers, parents and even the elderly joined in.
A teacher from Pune told HT about the plight of students affected by the “persistent” irregularities.
However, many protesters stated that the goal of this movement was greater than simply demanding a better education system; Rather, the aim was to “create a better India for future generations”.
“Today we are here, as the youth of India, to reclaim our freedom and demand a better system,” Yashpal from Vrindavan told HT, also adding the demand for strict action against corruption.
“To think that a protest like this came out of a cynical reaction shows how angry we are and that we are done with injustice,” said Vanshika, a mental health doctor in Delhi.
“We are all very angry. Listening to the news every day, whether it is press leaks, violence against women, student suicides, infrastructure failure, we have reached a point where we are just done and want change,” she told HT.
“Why should ministers feel comfortable doing anything? If they can’t do their jobs well, they should go,” she said.
Danita Yadav is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times. Danita is based in New Delhi and serves as a pivotal voice in international reporting within the team. Operating under a mandate to deliver services ‘without the noise’, Danita excels at distilling complex geopolitical developments into clear, objective narratives that prioritize factual accuracy over sensationalism. At HT, Danita was honored for her breaking news efforts and time-bound coverage of the Air India plane crash, which drove over 2 million users to the site with reliable and factual coverage of the incident. Thanks to her success in high-pressure editorial environments, Danita has also earned a reputation for navigating the nuances of global diplomacy and cross-border politics. With over four years of experience in the journalism industry, Danita has spent her years deep diving into covering international relations and global conflicts. She previously worked with the news teams at Outlook India and Times Network, where she covered a wide range of topics and topics, from education curriculum and student protests to Indian politics and international conflicts such as the Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan wars. Danita holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Kamala Nehru College, Delhi University. Aside from the newsroom and her love of international relations, you’ll find Danita “obsessed” with books, music, and BTS. Her appreciation for global popular culture and storytelling also added to her unique perspective on the “soft power” dynamics that have increasingly shaped international relations in an ever-changing global order.Read more
