Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) which launched a massive protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday pressing for the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, besides raising other students and youth related issues has come to an end on a peaceful note. Six people were detained by the Delhi Police on Saturday to prevent a possible confrontation between two groups during the protest which came to an end at around 5PM.
Police announced that organisers had called an end to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest at Jantar Mantar, following which security personnel began dispersing participants and clearing the area, with the leader Abhijeet Dipke and activist Sonam Wangchuk also leaving the venue. Dipke warned that protests will be held across multiple cities throughout the week in India if the Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan does not resign by 5 pm today. He also announced plans for another major demonstration at Jantar Mantar next Saturday.
The detentions were made as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order after police received inputs about the possibility of tensions between supporters and opposers of the online movement, they said.Officials noted that the preventive detentions were made to help ensure the demonstration concluded peacefully without any major law-and-order issues.Officials stated that the six individuals were taken into preventive custody when they were found attempting to create a disturbance near the protest site. Fortunately, the situation remained under control, and no incidents were reported.
The protest, led by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, drew hundreds of participants, mostly students and young professionals, who gathered at Jantar Mantar. Dipke, who has been in the United States for academic pursuits, arrived in India early on June 6 and travelled to Jantar Mantar for the demonstration. The protest was organised around allegations of irregularities in major national examinations including NEET-UG, CUET, CBSE and SSC GD, with the group demanding the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
A heavy security presence was maintained at Jantar Mantar and other key locations in the national capital. More than 1,000 police personnel have been deployed across New Delhi district and other sensitive areas, while additional security arrangements have been made at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and border entry points.Senior police officers monitored the situation on the ground, and barricades were erected around the protest site to regulate the movement of participants and ensure separation between rival groups.
The protest witnessed huge participation from students wearing cockroach masks and carrying flowers. Several school students attended the gathering along with their parents. Participants raised slogans seeking accountability over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment processes. The movement has also received support from several public figures, including social activist Sonam Wangchuk and actor Prakash Raj.
The Delhi Police had intensified security arrangements ahead of the protest amid concerns over large crowds and possible attempts by rival groups to disrupt the gathering. Delhi Police and paramilitary forces were deployed across key locations in the national capital.
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