After the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) ended its 37-day protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, the youth-led movement came under fresh scrutiny after videos showed some of its leaders dancing and celebrating Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as education minister.
Event Context
The videos, widely shared on social media, purportedly show CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and other members dancing to music following the end of the protest. “Resignation party,” the overlay text read.
BJP Rajya Sabha member Mahesh Jethmalani questioned the timing of the celebration. “Seriously? The CJP leadership throwing a victory party at a hotel! After Delhi witnessed days of violence, these so-called youth activists switched on the music and began dancing,” Jethmalani, a senior Supreme Court advocate, wrote on X.
He also questioned who bore the expenses for the protesters’ travel, accommodation, food, equipment and logistics during the weeks-long movement.
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CJP spokesperson Saurav Das defended the celebration videos and said critics were failing to understand how younger generations approach activism. In a post on X, Das said that most “simply do not understand the language of Gen Z and younger generations.”
“We can sit on the road for as long as it takes. We can protest while dancing. We can organise while sipping cold coffee. We can fight for change without looking the way previous generations think a movement should look (no shade on anyone!),” he added. “That’s just how this generation is. Confident, creative, resilient, and IMPOSSIBLE to stereotype. The uncles and aunties can keep complaining. They’ll just have to deal with us!”
The CJP formed as a satirical online front after outrage following Chief Justice Surya Kant’s comparison of unemployed youth to “cockroaches.” The group later launched a campaign focused on irregularities in the education system and student suicides. Its central demand was the resignation of then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak issue.
READ ALSO | ‘Mere agitation can’t justify lathi-charge’: SC on July 20 student protest crackdown at Jantar Mantar
On July 20, thousands of protesters marching towards Parliament were stopped by police. Cops lathi-charged students, used tear-gas to disperse crowd and also allegedly used pellet guns on people. Delhi Police claimed that force was used after protesters violated prohibitory orders.
The detention claims surfaced around the same time that videos of CJP members celebrating began circulating online.
Player Focus
Amid reports claiming that Junaid had been detained, CJP spokesperson Ratna Singh said he was safe and receiving legal assistance.
“We have always treated Junaid with immense respect, and we will continue to stand by him (& other volunteers),” Singh wrote on X.
Team Analysis
The CJP called off its nationwide protest on July 25 after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned and the Centre assured the outfit that its demands would be considered.
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According to the organisation, the key demands were –
After the protest ended, the CJP claimed that volunteers were being detained in several states, prompting the outfit to seek fresh assurances from the Centre.
In a statement, Saurav Das said, “The Cockroach Janta Party had called off its nationwide protest only after the Government of India assured us that no punitive action would be taken against any protestor, either now or in the future, in any BJP-ruled or NDA-ruled states. The reports emerging from these states are therefore a matter of grave concern.”
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Calling on Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh to intervene, the statement added, “We call upon the Government of India, particularly @JPNadda ji and @DrJitendraSingh ji, to immediately honour the assurance given to us by ensuring the release of those detained and by directing that no coercive or retaliatory action is taken against any protestor anywhere in the country. The FIRs registered ought to be withdrawn too.”
The outfit has also sought a written assurance from the government regarding the withdrawal of FIRs and the release of detained protesters.
Among the cases is that of Ghaziabad resident and protest volunteer Mohammad Junaid. According to Junaid, Uttar Pradesh Police searched his residence, took away some of his family members and seized bank passbooks and PAN cards. He also alleged that his family was harassed in Meerut district. Meerut Police has denied the allegations.
