NEW DELHI: Hundreds of students, parents, gig workers and activists gathered at Jantar Mantar on Saturday to participate in the Cockroach Party protest, braving the scorching capital’s heat to voice concerns over unemployment, examination irregularities and the future of the country’s youth.
The protest site turned into a vibrant arena of slogans, music and dissent as young college and university students arrived carrying colourful posters, hand-painted graffiti, caricatures of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and cockroach-themed masks. Elderly men and women also joined the gathering, holding flags, roses and placards in support of the movement.
Many participants said they had attended the protest after being inspired online by people they had never met personally, united by a shared sense of frustration and urgency.
The excitement around activist Abhijeet Dipke drew supporters and curious onlookers alike, while songs and slogans echoed across the protest venue. Behind the visible enthusiasm, however, many attendees spoke of deeper anxieties related to education, unemployment and repeated examination-related lapses.
Mohammad Taj, a computer science student from Wazirabad studying in a Delhi college, said recent incidents linked to examinations had left many students uncertain about their future.
“The youth-led movement inspired me because students are deeply worried about their careers,” he said, adding that unemployment among young people continued to rise while authorities remained indifferent. Taj said the large turnout reflected widespread dissatisfaction with the current education system.
Alongside him was his friend Nadeem, a gig worker, who said he had skipped work for a few hours to participate in the protest. “Many parents from poor families spend beyond their means to educate their children, but examination lapses and paper leaks destroy their future,” he said.
Mamta, a mother of two, said she attended the protest for the sake of her children and other youngsters struggling with uncertainty. She recalled that her daughter had suffered because of examination-related issues during the Covid and eventually moved to Australia for higher studies after her plans to appear for a medical entrance examination were disrupted.