New Delhi, July 25: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been spearheading nationwide student protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, described Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation on Saturday as a “win for democracy” and announced that its agitation would continue with fresh demands, including compensation for affected families and action over the police response to protesters.
Soon after Pradhan’s resignation became public, the organisation celebrated the development and posted a message on its official X handle reading, “Democracy Wins!” The post was accompanied by a video showing demonstrators celebrating the minister’s decision to step down.
Addressing reporters and supporters, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke claimed the resignation marked a significant outcome of the movement. He said the protesters had succeeded in achieving one of their principal demands and asserted that democratic accountability could be enforced when citizens collectively raised their voices.
Speaking before a banner displaying photographs of students who, according to the organisation, died by suicide following the May 3 NEET-UG paper leak, Dipke dedicated the development to those students. He said the resignation demonstrated that public pressure could hold those in power accountable if people refused to be intimidated.
Dipke urged supporters not to fear the government, stating that democracy requires citizens to question those in authority because governments derive their mandate from the people. He maintained that the resignation reinforced the importance of public participation in democratic processes.
While welcoming the minister’s resignation, Dipke said the organisation’s campaign was not over and outlined two additional demands. He called for compensation of ₹1 crore for the families of students who, according to the organisation, died by suicide following the examination controversy. He also demanded action against police personnel who, he alleged, acted against protesters during the Parliament march on July 20.
Addressing police officers, Dipke warned them against taking action against demonstrators and praised students for what he described as their courage during the protests. He also demanded the withdrawal of all criminal cases registered against students before or after the July 20 demonstrations.
Concluding his address, Dipke said the developments reflected how democracy should function in India, reiterating that sustained public participation was essential to ensuring accountability.
Meanwhile, Dharmendra Pradhan, while tendering his resignation, reaffirmed his commitment to students and education. In his resignation letter, he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his guidance and support, stating that his decision was intended to protect the integrity of the examination process and safeguard the future of students.
