The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday launched a nationwide agitation over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment processes, while announcing that it would release an education manifesto outlining reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the education system.
Speaking at a press conference in Pune, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the manifesto would be unveiled later in the day, coinciding with the start of a peaceful protest at the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) campus. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk is also expected to participate in the demonstration.
"We are starting our nationwide protest from today at the SSPU. The protest will be peaceful and within the framework of the Constitution. Today, we will be releasing our education manifesto," Dipke said.
According to Dipke, the manifesto focuses on key issues affecting students across the country.
"The manifesto focuses on preventing question paper leaks, ensuring timely declaration of examination results, improving transparency in recruitment and entrance examinations, strengthening accountability of examination authorities, and addressing issues faced by students due to delays and irregularities in the conduct of examinations," he said.
The protest campaign, which begins in Pune, will subsequently travel to several cities, including Jaipur, Lucknow, Amritsar and Bengaluru, before culminating in a gathering at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 20.
"We will not return until we get the resignation of the education minister, who is responsible for jeopardising the future of more than one crore students," he claimed.
Dipke said the organisation remains open to discussions with the government but alleged that authorities were targeting the group's online presence instead of engaging with its concerns.
"CJP is a big message for the country. The government cannot ignore the youth. Instead of calling us fake, try to understand the issues and problems faced by the youth in the country," he added.
The Cockroach Janta Party has gained visibility in recent weeks through social media campaigns focused on examination-related issues and has positioned itself as a youth-led platform seeking reforms in the education sector.
Earlier this month, the group organised a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where students and young people from different parts of the country gathered to demand accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and seek the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.