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Politicians from a range of parties are walking up to Jantar Mantar to attend CJP Protest. (Photo: IG/Cockroach Janta Party)
Cockroaches are everywhere now in the National Capital. There was a time when the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) looked like another internet trend that would disappear after a few weeks. Many dismissed it as a Gen Z protest built on memes, satire and social media. But standing at Delhi's Jantar Mantar today, it is clear that something has changed. What started as students demanding accountability over NEET irregularities has now become a protest that political leaders cannot ignore.
Truth is that, Cockroach Janta Party was born out of anger. Founder Abhijeet Dipke launched the new political star after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant referred to unemployed youth and activists as "cockroaches" and "parasites." Instead of feeling defeated, Dipke embraced the label and turned it into a symbol of resistance that boosted the confidence of indian youth to come out of their home and fight for the cause.
His question "What if all cockroaches came together?" connected with thousands of frustrated students and unemployed youth. Within weeks, the movement had spread online before stepping onto the streets. Once it reached the streets, the protest witnessed the participation of all aged people, kids to old age citizens. So it is transparently clear not just millennials and GenZ taking part in this protest but everyone who wants a change is a part of the movement.
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CJP organised its first protest at Jantar Mantar on June 6 calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged exam rigging and recruitment process delays. It later spread to Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Jaipur.
Now the protest has come back to Delhi with gusto. Despite heavy rain and high temperatures, climate activist and education reformist Sonam Wangchuk has been on hunger strike with student leaders calling for an answer to the NEET controversy and for justice for the students who died related to the crisis.
Despite growing health concerns for Wangchuk, the protest has now taken off, showing that the demand for answers is not going anywhere.
The biggest change here is not the size of the group but who is coming to them.
When the protest began, it did not attract much political overtures. Today, politicians from a range of parties are walking up to Jantar Mantar. Even TMC MP Mahua Moitra has offered her support. Senior leaders of the CPI(M), including M.A.Baby, Brinda Karat, T.M. Thomas Isaac and K.K.Shailaja, as well as General Secretary of the CPI(ML) Dipankar Bhattacharya have offered their support. Actor Prakash Raj was there in earlier protests and his voice has remained loud.
Most recently, Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Atishi, Kuldeep Kumar and Shelly Oberoi, visited the protest site. Atishi publicly praised Wangchuk's determination despite his declining health.
Political support gives the movement greater visibility and may increase pressure on the government. At the same time, it raises an important question: will student demands remain at the centre, or will political interests begin to shape the narrative? Abhijit Dipke once said that CJP will not join any political party but the attention of opposition leaders to Jantar Mantar gives a different reality. The question is still relevant: will CJP join any political party or just remain as a youth political ally before the 2029 Loksabha election?
Cockroach Janta Party may have started as a student-led satirical campaign, but it has crossed that stage. When political leaders begin showing up, a protest enters a different phase. Whether this strengthens the movement or changes its direction will depend on whether the voices of students continue to lead the conversation.
