CJP urges Rs 1 crore compensation for student suicide victims' families

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday (June 19) urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of students who have died by suicide amid examination-related glitches.

Ahead of the CJP's protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 20, Dipke, in an open letter to the PM, shared on X, also reiterated the satirical outfit's demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Open letter to PM

"I am writing to you today with a heavy heart, to bring your urgent attention to an escalating crisis that threatens the very future of our nation - the lives and mental well-being of our young students," stated Dipke in the letter.

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He alleged that 11 students had died by suicide in recent weeks, including five deaths in the last 48 hours, stating that the situation was worsening as students grappled with uncertainty over possible re-examinations.

Dipke urged the Centre to provide immediate financial assistance to affected families, arguing that many had taken substantial educational loans to support their children's academic aspirations.

Demand for compensation

"Having lost the very children they poured their life savings into educating, these families have been left entirely destitute," Dipke wrote, demanding a compensation package of Rs 1 crore for families affected by what he described as the "compounding crisis of paper leaks".

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The CJP founder also renewed his demand for Pradhan's removal and stressed that the students wanted accountability.

"The Cockroach Janta Party has been demanding the resignation of the education minister for the past month and has been protesting across the country for our demands. All that we students want is to see some accountability for the loss of lives," he said.

Renews call for Pradhan’s resignation

He added that holding leadership accountable is a "vital step toward restoring the faith of millions of students and parents in our educational framework", and failing to do so "inadvertently sends a message that the administration accepts the status quo." "Therefore, we respectfully request you to sack the education minister. He is serving at your pleasure, and the buck stops with the prime minister," he said.

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Dipke argued that removing the education minister would demonstrate the government's commitment to accountability rather than weakness, and warned that inaction could deepen feelings of hopelessness among students and parents.

He also stressed immediate intervention and urged that the mental health and safety of students should be prioritised, and structural reforms should be brought in to "ensure that no more young lives are cut short by academic despair".

Jantar Mantar protest planned

"Students from all across India are assembling at Jantar Mantar, 20th June onwards, to raise our demand. We hope your government listens to the voice of India's future," he added.

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The June 20 protest will be CJP's second mobilisation at Jantar Mantar this month. On June 6, hundreds of students and young professionals gathered at the Delhi protest site after a call by Dipke, demanding Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests.

Following the demonstration, the organisation expanded its campaign to several cities over examination-related controversies and paper leak allegations, with Pradhan's resignation remaining a key demand.

(With agency inputs)