Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke
NEW DELHI: On the eve of its second Jantar Mantar demonstration, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday urged protesters to bring a “thali” (plate) and “chammach” (spoon) to the protest.The youth-led movement has been demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak and related issues.Also Read | ‘This is like closing a road because there are potholes’: CJP founder’s dig at Centre after Telegram banIn a video shared by the organisation on social media, Dipke said: “All the cockroaches joining tomorrow’s protest at 1 pm at Jantar Mantar should carry a ‘thali’ and a ‘chammach’ with you. You know the rest of the story.” This appeared to be a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s March 2020 appeal for citizens to clap and bang utensils from their balconies to express gratitude to frontline workers during the Covid-19 outbreak.Since then, banging utensils has emerged as a popular form of protest.Earlier, CJP announced that it had received permission from the Delhi Police for the protest, which will take place two weeks after its first demonstration at the same venue.The NEET (UG) re-exam will be held on Sunday. Over 22 lakh students appeared for the exam on May 3, but it was cancelled days later after the paper leak came to light.Also Read | NTA to conduct nationwide mock drill on June 20 ahead of NEET-UG re-examinationThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the case. CJP was launched as an online satirical platform last month, days after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s “cockroach” remarks during a hearing. However, the Chief Justice later clarified that he had been misquoted and that his comments were specifically directed at people entering professions using “fake and bogus degrees.”Also Read | ‘Misquoted my oral observations’: CJI Surya Kant clarifies ‘cockroach’ remarks on unemployed youthDipke, who was based in Boston at the time, flew to Delhi on the morning of its first protest. Since then, the group has been holding demonstrations in various cities, demanding the resignation of Pradhan or seeking his removal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
