New Delhi: India’s youth-led ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ (CJP) called off its five-week protest after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation, prompting celebrations among thousands of supporters gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The CJP, an online satirical campaign that uses an AI-generated cockroach as its mascot, is not a registered political party but has emerged as a platform for young people expressing frustration over unemployment, education and government policies. The movement gained nationwide attention after a police crackdown on protesters marching towards Parliament left dozens injured.
In a resignation statement posted on X, Dharmendra Pradhan said the decision was taken in the interest of students and national unity. The statement said the resignation was intended to prevent unrest from affecting students’ futures and to ensure young people could focus on their education and careers.
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 25, 2026
Soon after the announcement, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke declared the protest a victory from the stage at Jantar Mantar, triggering celebrations among supporters. Protesters cheered, danced, distributed sweets and chanted slogans as organisers officially ended the demonstration, although crowds remained at the venue into the evening.
The movement began after India’s chief justice referred to some unemployed young people involved in journalism and activism as “cockroaches”. Although the remarks were later clarified as referring to people with “fake and bogus degrees”, the term was embraced online and transformed into a symbol of resistance by young protesters.
Led by political communications strategist Abhijeet Dipke, the CJP has built a large social media following, turning a satirical campaign into one of the country’s most prominent youth protest movements in recent years.
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