Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday said unemployment would be taken up as a nationwide issue and announced the launch of a nationwide outreach campaign next month to gather public feedback on issues affecting people across the country.
Dipke was speaking at a press conference after the conclusion of the CJP's core committee meeting at his residence in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. The meeting had been underway since Wednesday.
CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das, spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka and other party representatives were also present.
Announcing the campaign, Dipke said, "During the 'kya bolti public' (What Are the People Saying?) campaign, we will get to know what people think of the present situation in the country and what the issues they face are."
Dipke said the protests drew not only students but also unemployed young people. He said 60% of the country's population was below the age of 35 and many of those who took part in the Jantar Mantar protest belonged to that age group.
"Unemployment is a major problem; we will make it a nationwide issue," said the CJP chief, adding: "We will work on education reforms. Education has remained unaffordable since schooling. Education is used for making profits. But we want to change it."
Describing the resignation of former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan as the biggest achievement of the students' agitation, Dipke said, "Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation is the biggest achievement of the students' agitation."
"The fear which this government created in the last 10-12 years in the minds of people has now ended."
"People will now come onto the streets. Today, they have sought resignation of one person; tomorrow they will demand resignations of others," he said.
Notably, protests led by the CJP at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi last month over the NEET paper leak and other examination irregularities led to Pradhan's resignation as Union education minister.
Meanwhile, the CJP founder also asserted that party's ideology was aligned with the Constitution of India.
"CJP will operate as per Babasaheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru's vision for a developed India," Dipke said.
"Our ideology is the same as the Constitution of India," he added.
(With inputs from PTI)