Cockroach Janta Party, in its first presser, seeks Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation

With just over two weeks since its online launch, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held its first press conference on Wednesday (June 3), and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over repeated examination paper leaks, which the party claimed have affected nearly 1 crore youth.

Announcing that it is against an “incompetent system and against the people who are heading it”, the CJP extended an open invitation to all political parties, including the ruling BJP.

‘8 lakh have signed petition against Pradhanji’

On Wednesday, the party’s three official spokespersons – investigative journalist Saurav Das, chief spokesperson, political researcher and filmmaker Vijeta Dahiya, and an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and former management consultant Ashutosh Ranka, spoke to the media at the Constitution Club of India in Delhi.

Also read: From La Cucaracha to CJP: The political story of the cockroach down the ages

Calling the party a “youth political movement”, Das said there must be accountability in the system. The party has been demanding the resignation of Pradhan over the paper leaks in various examinations, with the recent one being in NEET UG 2026.

“Eight lakh people have signed the petition against Dharmendra Pradhanji. There has been no punishment against the people involved. The only action taken is the transfer of two secretaries to the agriculture ministry. It is a mere eyewash,” said Das.

He said the CPJ believed that the government would speak to them, but that has not happened.

Also read: Cockroach Janata Party: How a satire became Gen Z’s latest political movement

“Our movement seeks accountability. There is a rot in the system. All over the country, people have extended support,” Das said.

‘Peaceful protest’ on June 6

Without naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Das said that for over a decade, no press conferences have been happening in the country.

He said to demand accountability, the CPJ has called for a “peaceful protest” at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Saturday (June 6).

Das also said the party’s founder Abhijit Dipke will be arriving from the US in New Delhi on June 6 at 8 am, following which the party will take permission for a “peaceful protest” from Parliament Street Police Station.

“Every party, from the ruling and Opposition, can join. We invite everybody to be part of this movement. Their kith and kin have also suffered due to the paper leaks. They should also join,” said Dahiya.

He added that despite several students losing their lives by suicide, there has been no answer from the government. “Nobody is ready to answer. Are we even living in a democracy anymore? Democracy has to be dynamic. Elected representatives need to be accountable. They cannot be acting like kings who will say let us look after the problems after five years,” said Dahiya.

How CJP started

The CPJ is a satirical, youth-led online political campaign in India. It is not an officially registered political party. Instead, it serves as a massive digital platform for Indian Gen Z and youth to protest against unemployment, inflation, and institutional issues.

The movement went viral in May, amassing over 22 million Instagram followers in just a matter of days—surpassing the online followings of mainstream political entities like the ruling BJP. The movement was founded by Abhijeet Dipke, a US-based political communications strategist and Boston University graduate.

The name "Cockroach Janta Party" directly targets controversial remarks made on May 15 by the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Surya Kant. During a Supreme Court hearing, the CJI compared certain unemployed individuals to "cockroaches" and "parasites of society" who turn to social media activism or journalism to attack others.

The CPJ has garnered support from notable public figures, including activists like Sonam Wangchuk and Anna Hazare, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, and Opposition politicians from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Samajwadi Party (SP). Due to its sudden influence, the CJP's original account on X was withheld by the government citing "national security" concerns, and the founder has reported hacking attempts and threats.

Even though the CJI later clarified that his remarks only targeted individuals with fake degrees, the comments touched a raw nerve with India's youth. Dipke created a Google form to launch the party as a joke under the tagline "Voice of the Lazy & Unemployed", reclaiming the insult as a symbol of resilience and survival.