Hundreds of supporters of India's viral Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) banged steel plates with spoons in a protest on Saturday, June 20, 2026, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over allegations of examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks. The protest, held near Parliament in New Delhi, was organized by the nascent movement and added pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government while seeking wider public support.
Protest details and security measures
Authorities deployed heavy security, including cameras and drones, to monitor the protest. Participants carried placards and banged plates, creating a loud noise that cut through the crowd. The banging of plates appeared to satirize Modi's call for Indians to step onto balconies and rooftops to bang utensils in solidarity with front-line health workers during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, a political communications strategist and Boston University student, urged supporters on social media to bring plates and spoons for the protest.
Statements from CJP leaders and supporters
“There is a virus called Dharmendra Pradhan that has to be removed,” Dipke told the crowd, adding that the CJP was open to talks with the government if Pradhan stepped down. A CJP supporter, Deepak Kumar, said: “This is just the beginning. If Dharmendra Pradhan doesn’t resign or if no action is taken regarding this issue, this protest will not end here.”
Background of the exam paper leak
The exam paper for a nationwide medical program was leaked last month through social media app Telegram. Authorities subsequently postponed the exam and temporarily banned Telegram in India. The exam is scheduled to be held on Sunday, June 21, 2026. The government says the leak is under investigation. Student Vicky Kumar expressed frustration: “We study in poverty, live in poverty for 24 hours everyday, for years at length, and after that our (exam) papers get leaked. Will I not get angry at this?”
Rise of the Cockroach Janta Party
The movement emerged in May 2026 after Supreme Court Judge Surya Kant’s remarks comparing some unemployed youth to “cockroaches” triggered outrage. Supporters embraced the term as a symbol of resilience, helping the group amass more than 22 million followers on Instagram. The movement’s message has since expanded to include concerns over unemployment, rising living costs, and government accountability. The CJP mixes self-deprecating humor with political criticism; supporters jokingly call themselves unemployed and chronically online, while videos and memes mocking unemployment, corruption, and political dysfunction have attracted millions of views. Many parody CJP accounts have also adopted the cockroach as a satirical political symbol.
