- Protest demands Education Minister’s resignation; occurs before retest.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirically named student-led outfit that recently emerged on social media, is set to hold its second major protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday, intensifying its campaign over the NEET-UG controversy.
Supporters attending the demonstration have been asked to carry plates and spoons, a symbolic gesture that echoes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2020 appeal for citizens to clang utensils in support of frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The protest is expected to attract students from Delhi and neighbouring states, following the turnout witnessed during the organisation’s first on-ground demonstration earlier this month.
Call for ‘Thali-Chammach’ Protest
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke urged participants to bring a plate and spoon to the protest but stopped short of explicitly explaining the symbolism behind the request.
In a video message released on Friday, Dipke said, “All the cockroaches joining tomorrow’s protest at Jantar Mantar should carry a thali and a chammach with you. You know the rest of the story.”
The statement was widely interpreted as a reference to a well-known moment from the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic that remains a recurring subject of political commentary and satire.
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Pandemic-Era Gesture Returns as Political Symbol
The symbolism traces back to March 22, 2020, when Prime Minister Modi called for a nationwide “Janata Curfew” and asked citizens to stand on balconies and clap or bang utensils at 5 p.m. for five minutes.
The gesture was presented as a show of solidarity with healthcare workers and others involved in the fight against the pandemic.
In the years since, the image of people banging plates and utensils has frequently resurfaced in political discourse and satire, often used by critics to express dissent against the government.
Focus Remains on NEET-UG Controversy
The central demand of the Cockroach Janta Party remains unchanged: the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG medical entrance examination paper leak and related concerns.
The group has sought accountability over the handling of the examination process and has used social media platforms to mobilise support among students.
Its rapid emergence online, particularly on X and Instagram, has helped it attract attention from aspirants and young people frustrated by examination-related controversies.
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Security Tightened Ahead of Demonstration
The protest is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. at Jantar Mantar, one of the capital’s most prominent venues for public demonstrations.
Authorities have put security arrangements in place, including the installation of CCTV cameras around the protest site for real-time monitoring.
The demonstration comes a day before the scheduled NEET-UG retest on June 21, a development that continues to keep the examination controversy in the national spotlight.
