NEW DELHI: In one of the biggest mobilisations against the Union government in the last 12 years, the streets of Lutyens’ Delhi came to a halt on Monday when a massive crowd of protesters marched towards Parliament from Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged question paper leaks.
The scenes inside Parliament were equally tumultuous, but it was on the streets of New Delhi that the youth’s angst met the belligerence of police. The protest venue, Jantar Mantar, was cleared by evening, but the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said that its founder Abhijeet Dipke and three others—Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo—are still continuing the sit-in protest in front of Kerala House. Wangchuk, whose hunger strike entered the 23rd day, wrote an open letter in the evening, saying he will continue his fast over police actions.
The police resorted to lathicharge and burst teargas shells to disperse protesters—who drew from across the country and all strata of life—on most roads leading to the Parliament complex. Para-military personnel, in riot gear, joined cops to prevent protesters from reaching Parliament.
The government snapped internet services. A video surfaced in the morning, showing workers erecting metal barricades to restrict the agitators. However, when the crowd swelled and tried to move ahead, police used force and fired teargas shells. Many protesters said they were brutally assaulted by police. According to the RML Hospital, 65 medico-legal cases were in till 7 pm.
The scale of the protest prompted the government to approach the protesters for talks it had resisted since the protest started at Jantar Mantar on June 20.
Union minister J P Nadda and CJP members Das and Ranka held a meeting, during which CJP members raised three demands: immediate release of Wangchuk, resignation of Pradhan and `1 crore compensation for all NEET aspirants who had committed suicide. Nadda assured them he will put across their message to the party’s top leadership.
In the evening, the Delhi Police appealed to protestors to refrain from indulging in any unlawful activities. In a post on X, it said, “Delhi Police appeals to all protestors to maintain peace, exercise restraint and cooperate with the police in ensuring peace and public order.” However, by 9:30 pm, CJP Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, returned to the protest site with supporters.
CJP protest
May 15, 2026
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CJP founded by Abhijeet Dipke on social media
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Hyderabad and Bengaluru, too, join the stir
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