Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder and activist Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday ruled out any plans to enter electoral politics, asserting that citizens should not have to contest elections merely to secure their basic rights. Speaking at a press conference ahead of a large-scale nationwide protest, Dipke criticised the Central government for what he described as its failure to engage with students and young people following the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
The CJP, which began as a satirical collective and has since transformed into a youth-driven political movement, organised a demonstration at Samvidhan Square where hundreds of students and youngsters, many wearing cockroach masks and carrying placards, gathered to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan ahead of the proposed re-examination for medical aspirants.
Asked whether the CJP intended to contest elections in the future, Dipke dismissed the idea, saying, “Why should we contest elections? If everyone in this country has to contest elections to demand their rights, how will it work?” He also took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the Prime Minister should first apologise to the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following examination irregularities and cancellations.
“Pradhan Mantri ji tweets if anything happens across the world, but here, students of this country are committing suicide, and there is not even a condolence tweet for them. How long will you talk about your ‘Mann ki Baat’ and ‘Pariksha pe Charcha’? At least listen to the students’ Mann ki Baat,” Dipke said. He added that regular dialogue with students would help the government better understand and address their concerns. Responding to criticism that public mobilisations could trigger unrest similar to that witnessed in neighbouring countries, Dipke defended the right to protest.
“India is a country that was liberated through protests. It remains a democracy because of the protest. It is sustained by protest, and it is a very good thing for a healthy democracy,” Dipke told media. Tensions briefly escalated at the protest site when a group wearing saffron stoles arrived at Samvidhan Square, chanting “Jai Shri Ram” and accusing the CJP of misleading young people. The group alleged that “urban Naxals” had infiltrated the gathering and were raising anti-RSS slogans. The confrontation led to heated exchanges between both sides before security personnel stepped in to prevent the situation from worsening.
During his speech, Dipke referred to the suicide of Akansha Chaturvedi, a NEET aspirant from Madhya Pradesh who died in Nagpur, and also responded to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s recent remarks describing the movement as “anarchist”.
“If they are calling me an anarchist for standing up for Akansha Chaturvedi, then I am an anarchist,” Dipke said, pledging to support students “come what may.” He urged young people to move beyond religion-based politics and instead focus on issues directly affecting their future. Addressing allegations that he and his supporters were “anti-national”—a tag he claimed had even been attached to a 17-year-old student who exposed another examination scam—Dipke questioned both the government’s definition of nationalism and its development claims.
“They promised Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (previously Aurangabad) and Pune would be Smart Cities. Nothing has become smart. I’ve travelled across five or six states under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and didn’t see a single clean state. And the bullet train? It’s been 12 years. How many more years do you need?” he asked.
The US-educated political communications strategist also rejected criticism centred on his privileged background, arguing that financial success and public service are not mutually exclusive. “In our country, in our mind, in our psychology, there is this thing that if someone wants to do social service or wants to do something for the country, he should be a fakir. Why should he be a fakir? People who earn well, come from good families, and they cannot do anything with their own money. “How long will we live in this mentality that if you want to change the country, you will have to give up everything? I come from a good family. I have studied in the USA. I am well-positioned to buy my own tickets, and I will do that,” he said.
Reaffirming that the CJP’s nationwide agitation would continue until Pradhan resigns, Dipke said the movement was larger than any individual leader. “There is no question of my personal future. The question concerns more than a billion students. The youth who are worried about their future should join us,” he said.
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