Supreme Court Hears Petition Alleging Irregularities in India National Exams

Hundreds of people gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday for the Cockroach Janata Party’s first physical protest. The demonstration called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. New Delhi Police had issued notices to organizers before the event, citing lack of prior permission.

Police had also warned organizers against proceeding without the required approvals. The protest followed a May Supreme Court hearing in which Chief Justice Surya Kant compared certain critics and unemployed youth to cockroaches. In response, Boston University student and political communications strategist Abhijeet Dipke launched the Cockroach Janata Party Instagram account, which gained more than 15 million followers within a week.

Abhijeet Dipke returned to India for the first New Delhi protest, according to Al Jazeera. Organizers instructed participants to carry the Indian national flag and a book, stating the items symbolized demands for equal access to education. They also directed participants to remain peaceful and avoid confrontation with police.

The demonstration centered on an exam irregularity controversy that emerged in May. The movement has used parody accounts and memes to address unemployment, corruption, and political dysfunction, with supporters adopting the cockroach as a symbol of endurance.

Young people constitute more than a quarter of India’s population and face limited job prospects and rising unemployment, according to the group.

Skeptics, including supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, described the effort as a temporary social-media trend unlikely to generate lasting street mobilization. Past protests against the government have sometimes resulted in legal action and arrests, according to reporting on the event.