BENGALURU: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held its first protest in Bengaluru on Sunday as part of its nationwide campaign demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak and the alleged irregularities in the education system.
Speaking at the protest, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke criticised the Union government, accusing it of inciting fear among communities and using that fear to suppress peaceful dissent. Braving heavy rain, around 250 people gathered at the venue to demand Pradhan’s resignation over the alleged “mishandling” of the NEET examinations.
Dipke was joined by actor Prakash Raj, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and several other activists. Referring to the deaths of students linked to the examination controversy, Dipke said youngsters who aspired to save the lives of others were forced to give up their own lives. “I don’t think there can be anything more shameful than this for the country,” he said.
Addressing the youth as “my young cockroaches”, Prakash Raj urged them to continue raising their voices. “Uncles and aunties over the retirement age are looting and ruining the country, with no accountability or responsibility for their actions,” he said.
Wangchuk said, “The power of the people lies in their voices. We must keep questioning the government, no matter who is in power. We are here to challenge the education system, but we must not forget that every system in our country, especially our political system, is rotten to the core.”