At the Jantar Mantar protest by Cockroach Janta Party, distrust of the media emerged as a key theme among participants in Delhi on Saturday. While the protest remained peaceful, a section of the protestors wanted less of the mainstream media there, raising slogans such as 'get out, you mediapersons'. However, CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka calmed this section, saying that truly biased media had already left after declaring everyone as anti-national.
The protest was planned after CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced his return to India, calling for his 'fellow cockroaches' to gather. The focused demand was the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over recent exam-related controversies. The crowd, led by Dipke and CJP spokespersons, called for Pradhan's resignation and chanted 'Dharmendra Pradhan isteefa do'. The sentiment on the ground went beyond just exams, with many referring to India's ranking on the World Press Freedom Index 2026.
The 'Cockroach' protest drew a crowd that went beyond students and Gen-Z, with teachers, parents, and even senior citizens joining in. Many protestors stated that the aim of this movement was greater than simply demanding a better education system; rather, it was to 'create a better India for generations to come'. 'Today we are here, as the youth of India, to take back our freedom and demand a better system,' said Yashpal from Vrindavan.
