Cockroach Janta Party holds New Delhi protest
On June 6, 2026, hundreds of Cockroach Janta Party supporters wearing cockroach masks gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and marched toward Parliament to demand Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign. The protest was led by 30-year-old founder Abhijeet Dipke, a Boston University graduate, and grew from a satirical movement that began after a judge likened critics and unemployed youth to "cockroaches" and "parasites." Protesters said the resignation demand stems from mismanagement of nationwide public examinations that students say undermined trust and disrupted millions of applicants' prospects. The demonstration was the movement's first major street mobilization and highlights rising Gen-Z frustration over jobs and education, increasing pressure on the government ahead of upcoming votes.
![Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke (centre) shouts slogans during a protest over alleged irregularities in recent major examinations, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. [Manan Vatsyayana/AFP]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2lofqead276vtc5647ye7sl2/bafkreiddssdvr5hcthmp2jnta3ugmhhc5vuzennfxaeuvfobuxdnnr6dq4)
